The Breath within the Breath
The Breath within the Breath
2023
Gelatin silver prints
36 prints, 9.5 x 6.25 in. each
This series is part of an ongoing body of work centered on Pando, an ancient aspen tree grove that extends across 108 acres. This aspen forest is estimated to be over 10,000 years old, making it the earth’s oldest and heaviest living organism. Seemingly 47,000 individual trees, it is unified by a single immense root system, becoming 'a forest of one.'
This continuous image was taken on a single roll of 35mm film at dusk in a quaking aspen forest in Utah on the fall equinox. I held the camera shutter open and advanced the film through the camera as I slowly turned my body to complete a circle. I processed the film at home with an eco-friendly, non-toxic recipe that uses everyday domestic materials—coffee, vitamin C, washing soda, salt, lemon juice. This builds on recipes and knowledge shared by experimental filmmakers and artist-run film labs for several decades.