I have been working with mercury glass for a few months now. Not exclusively, but often. And I have been taking the photographs that result from being made as reflections in a mercury glass vase and then reshooting, reprinting, reshooting, reprinting, etc. The process is not something planned out; the photograph is the result of curiosity and alchemy and unpredictability.
I recently re-watched a documentary film about Gerhard Richter (adore his work) and he said: “That’s the thing. They [the paintings] do what they want. I had planned something different.”
This one really drew me in, when I saw it reflected in the mercury glass and even more so when I made the print. This was what I call a second generation photograph: twice through the process. I looked and there, in the viewfinder, was a little gamin. A French woman. A mime. Piaf.
The make-up and the shape of the mouth, the huge eyes, the circus-like feeling. And is there a top hat? Un chapeau? Perhaps.
I love the pursuit of surprise. It has become a new part of the passion and joy of my work.
When I compare my life of four years ago to my life of today, this is perhaps the most profound of the many changes: the elements of surprise. The embrace of wonder. The return of a curiosity I tamed so long ago in order to deliver on my work commitments. This isn’t to say that I was miserable; I wasn’t. I loved my work for many years. But one day I realized I was exhausted. And the creative pipeline was dripping rather than flowing. There was a traumatic experience in there, as well — a project that proved to me, once and for all, that my soul was dying. So I left it behind.
I live in a tiny space. My income is lower. I think twice before buying that $18.99 sriracha mayo at Whole Foods. True story.
And I have never been more aware of how full my life feels. How sustaining my practice has become. How dear my friends are to me. How, despite all of it, the world is still a place of magic.
How else could Edith Piaf show up like that? C’est Si Bon!
I am so lucky to bear witness to your transformation into a true artist. You are truly in a wonderful place.