Transcript Photograms

Photograms
What are they and how do you do
them?
The History
• The photogram technique is at least as old as the
existence of photosensitive surfaces.
• The real breakthrough for the photogram constitutes the
discovery of x-rays by Conrad Röntgen.
• In the arts, the photogram was explored rather late, after
the first World War.
• The name “photogram” was introduced and established
by László Moholy-Nagy in 1925.
• With respect to Christian Schad and Man Ray who used
the technique before Moholy-Nagy, sometimes the
technique is also called “schadography” or “rayograph”.
Basically….
• The photogram is a highly
differentiated shadow picture fixed
directly on a light sensitive surface.
Actually…
• Almost everybody gets in touch with the
photogram for the first time during a
check-up with his doctor
• An x-ray is essentially a photogram.
• It is a fixed shadow of a three-dimensional
object on a light-sensitive material.
You know..
• Conceptually there is a controversy as to
whether the photogram is merely an
experimental camera-less branch of
photography, or if it constitutes its own
medium.
To make a photogram you need:
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Photo-sensitive surface (photo paper)
A light source (enlarger or flashlight)
Darkroom
Photographic chemicals
Objects to place on photo paper
The one’s who paved the
way….
Man Ray
(Emmanuel Rudnitsky)
Christian Schad
~Examples of Photograms~
Other artists
Emilio Amero - 1932
Markus Amm - 1999
Marcel Bovis – 1945-50
Nino Migliori
Gyorgy Kepes
In your journals:
• List materials you think you would want to
use for a photogram
• Think of items that
– show you or your life in some way
– Have varying levels of transparency
– Interesting positive and negative space
– Are handheld or smaller (paper is only 5x7)
• Plan out a general composition for your
photogram
Artists and images found on:
• www.photograms.net
• Look up other photogram artists on this
website for inspiration for your own work