CARLA CHAN
Blacken White
黩白
( carbon powder glued and printed on paper, wooden frame, 74 × 104 cm, 2017)
Blacken White #2
( carbon powder reacted with acetone, glued and printed on paper, 50 × 37 cm, 2017)
Blacken White is a series of prints which are comprised of glue, acetone and carbon powder. The glue has been screen-printed on paper, which has then been partially covered with carbon powder. This process reveals the glue-images whilst simultaneously capturing the motion of the powder across the paper, freezing a moment in time. By adding the acetone, a chemical process is being set in motion, creating unique, uncontrollable outcomes.
The landscapes which are used for the Blacken White series are shots taken on a digital camera during the first encounter the artist had with nature, in Sweden. Exposed to the vast landscapes, a seemingly untouched nature turned out to still show traces of human impact. The physicality of the prints translates this experience of the artist and thematises the discussion about the toxic contamination of nature caused by human beings in a subtle, poetic and unique way.