Long distance relationships can work!
Craig lives in LA, I live in Victoria... so there's been many many MANY texts, emails and Skype calls between us…It was a bit rocky at the beginning, especially working under a tight deadline (and a few technical glitches, on my end) but, I had faith it would work and now I'm packing. My only wish I could be hand-delivering these gravure prints to Craig this week in LA !! Hope he is as happy as I am ;)
It was a big honour to be asked to print one image from Craig Semetko's new body of work INDIA UNPOSED as a polymer gravure print ! This gravure print will be included as part of the special collector's edition of the book being released this week. Craig has put together one hundred L.E copies available as a cloth bound book, encased in a custom clam shell case with two original prints from the series. The trade edition will be available soon too.
If you do not know what a photopolymer gravure print is…let me give you a brief description.
Unlike traditional gravure copperplate etchings, polymer gravure does not use any acids or grounds to etch the surface of the plate. A polymer plate is exposed to UV and water to create the etched plate. But then, just as you do with a copper plate, the polymer plate is inked and put through an etching press to create a print. I like the polymer process as it is considered nontoxic but the results are truly remarkable.
This image was printed on the Hahnemühle "Copperplate Etching" paper. The plate is hand inked, with a custom blend created specifically for Craig's image, and wiped before it is run under the heavy drum of the etching press. This process is repeated for every print, making each of the 100 prints slightly different or unique!
If you are in Los Angeles the exhibition UNPOSED AND UNSEEN opens Thursday, April-17 at the new Leica Gallery - Los Angeles, until May-25, 2014. There will be copies on hand to view (and buy!). Then Craig's schedule continues to build as he is part of Paris Photo LA and then I hear he is off to Germany as part of the ingural gallery exhibition at the new Leica Factory.
Congrats Craig....it's been great working with you!
- here's to a successful opening, wish there wasn't as many miles between us !!
Diana
*VIEW MORE WORK FROM CRAIG
If you have question on photo polymer gravure - please contact the studio
* And I'll write more on the process in a future post !
