Take in brand new exhibitions at The Art Studio, Inc. on the first Saturday of each month! Join us Saturday October 3rd, 7-10pm for the opening reception of
“Reversing the Light”
by James Blaign Rambo
in the Maudee Carron Gallery
James Blaign Rambo is a contemporary photographer from San Angelo, Texas living in Beaumont for the past two decades.
Working with both digital and analog formats, James uses photography to share his experiences throughout life and educate those around him in all aspects of the medium. He is self-taught from an early age, along with several university-level courses on the arts.
His work has been previously exhibited at The Art Studio Inc, the Beaumont Art League, the Dishman Art Museum at Lamar University, as well as Hardy & Nance Studios in Houston, Texas. This is his first solo exhibition. James currently assists in maintaining the dark room here at The Art Studio Inc.
You can view more of his work at https://www.instagram.com/blaign.film.
Artist Statement:
For this exhibition, I’m exploring the experimental, personal, and historical aspects of analog photography.
Using black and white reversal film and chemistry, I’ve created the inverted monochromatic portraits you see framed in this gallery. As “large negatives”, highlights and shadows are reversed in these portraits, transposing familiar figures and features. I find the results draw one’s gaze towards aspects of a subject not normally of interest in a standard print.
Taking advantage of the development process involved with these works, I’ve displayed the positive film within viewers below each portrait. This allows you to see the image with standard monochromatic values and creates a personal interaction with the subject matter, considering the up-close nature of using a slide viewer.
This anachronistic method of viewing the image provides historical context to those unfamiliar with reversal or slide film, a format that was popularized in the mid 20th century. Altogether, the processes, materials and resulting work shown in this exhibition present analog film as an intimate and unique way to view the world.
Q&A:
What will you be showing?
I will be showing portraits as both framed silver gelatin inverted monochromatic prints and black and white slide film in holders, observable within backlit viewers beneath the prints.
How would you describe your work?
It is an alternative photographic process that utilizes black and white reversal film and chemistry. It is an uncommon way to shoot, develop, and print photographs. It will give viewers the chance to see something unusual and experimental, and also allow an intimate and interactive experience in viewing the slide film positives.
Who/what are your biggest influences?
My biggest influence for this particular show would have to be the experimental opportunities that analog processes provide as well as the historical significance of reversal film. Known as “slide film”, it was a format most popular in the mid 20th century, allowing anyone to display life experiences like road trips or holiday gatherings.
What would you like people to take away from your show?
I’m most interested in providing a unique gallery experience that will also educate viewers and give a positive impression. I want to imprint knowledge of an rarely-used analog process. I also want to show how inverted monochromatic portraits can change perceptions and force viewers to notice things in an image that aren’t normally of interest.
