EXHIBITION
INSTANT PHOTOGRAPH
Interactive exhibition / Pin-Hole Camera Experience
Provided over 50 hand-crafted and ready-to-use pinhole cameras, which used photography paper as sensitive plain, inviting visitors to engage in capturing their own images through a unique and time-intensive process of chemical development and printing.
Instant Photograph
Solo Exhibition
Curator: Peyman Hoshmandzadeh [LINK]
Zirpeleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2017
THE PROCESS
The audience in this experience could not immediately see the result; rather, by investing time and following technical guidance, they could ultimately capture a selfie using a handmade pinhole camera with a 4-minute exposure time. Then they could participate in the stages of development and analog printing during a 30-minute darkroom experience.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The audience in this event is not merely spectators; in fact, they are embarking on a "photographic experience". A selfie, short for self-portrait, has been the product of many painters and artists. However, today, anyone can easily capture their everyday life. In contrast to the past, where photography was once considered a craft and its tools were beyond the reach of the general public, now almost everyone carries a camera in their pocket. Thanks to technology, the etiquette of photography has changed, but the essence of photography, like self-portraiture, remains untouched. This event, by tapping into one of the most primal methods of photography and one of its most prevalent customs, narcissism, provides the opportunity to create an image. This time, you are the artist.
FINAL THOUGHT
The pinhole camera, the earliest attempts by humans to capture an image, representing a leap from painting to photography. This is akin to the transition between hieroglyphs and the written alphabet. In this event, we delve into the origins of photography. The highly primitive technique sparks our curiosity when we realize that with just a hole and a dark room, we can produce an image.
In this project, the artist is the audience! While I act as a technician who facilitates the process. Perhaps participants will recognize the importance of technical knowledge in the creation of art, or perhaps they will find it inconsequential.
The driving force behind these endeavors may be simply the desire to be seen, to play, and to revive nostalgia. However, I spare no effort in executing these endeavors through photography. Tasks that laziness previously hindered. Laziness has evolved to the point of obsolescence. Now, we can discard all technical knowledge and simply immerse ourselves in the experience, feeling excitement and surprise.
Photo: The ultimate prints
Mehdi Parsi / Peyman Hoshmandzadeh