Ingrid Calame, #321 Drawing (Tracings from ArcelorMittal Steel, Buffalo, NY), 2010
Color pencil on trace Mylar, 50” x 34”
Calame traces the shapes of found marks, such as peeled paint and tire marks, and recreates them as colorful, seemingly abstract drawings and paintings. While sharing similarities with Calame’s process, my project focuses on marks as signs of touch. Thus, my visual and conceptual interests diverge from Calame’s in significant ways.
A Partial History (Book I), 2019
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 9.6” x 7” (dimensions of unframed photograph)
This is a photograph of one of the books from my grandmother’s book collection. It is a schoolbook that belonged to my grandfather. The photograph of the book’s cover is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book I), 2019
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 9.6” x 12.6” (dimensions of unframed photograph)
This is the title page of the same book as in image 02. The photograph of the title spread is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book I), 2018
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on matte paper, 8.5” x 5.7” x 1.5” (dimensions of closed book)
This book recreates the book shown in images 02–03. It contains marks of use and time found on the pages of the original book. The only thing I retained from the original book’s text are the page numbers.
A Partial History (Book I), 2018
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on matte paper, 8.5” x 5.7” x 1.5” (dimensions of closed book)
This is another spread from the same book as in image 04.
A Partial History (Book I), 2018
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on matte paper, 8.5” x 5.7” x 1.5” (dimensions of closed book)
This is another spread from the same book as in image 04. As noted before, the only thing I retained from the original book’s text are the page numbers.
For each book, I trace marks of use and time by hand, page by page. I then scan, print, and bind the drawings into a new book containing only the excavated marks.
A Partial History (Books I and II) (exhibition view ), 2019
Artist’s books and books from my grandmother’s collection, dimensions variable
Shown as part of the group exhibition Ar(t)chaeology, Nicosia Municipal Arts Center, Nicosia, Cyprus. I showed two artist’s books alongside the corresponding original books. The viewers could look through the artist’s books.
A Partial History (Book III) (exhibition view ), 2021
Framed photographs of book and artist’s book on shelf, dimensions variable
Shown as part of the group exhibition Cladogram at Katonah Museum of Art, NY, USA. For this exhibition, I decided not to exhibit the original books but rather photographs of the books. The photographs act as traces of the books, thus, allowing me to think about the notion of a trace in more expansive ways. Following this exhibition, I have decided to continue exhibiting the photographs of the original books rather than the actual books.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 10.6” x 8.6” (dimensions of framed photograph)
This is a photograph of one of the books from my grandmother’s book collection. It is a schoolbook that belonged to my grandmother and great-uncle. The photograph is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Archival inkjet print on luster paper, 10.6” x 13” (dimensions of framed photograph)
This is a photograph of the title page of the same book as in image 10. The photograph is printed in actual size.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on smooth matte 100gsm paper, 6.6” x 4.7” x 1” (dimensions of closed book)
This book recreates the book shown in images 10–11. It contains marks of use and time found on the pages of the original book. The only thing I retained from the original book’s text are the page numbers.
A Partial History (Book III), 2021
Artist’s book of inkjet prints on smooth matte 100gsm paper, 6.6” x 4.7” x 1” (dimensions of closed book)
This is another spread from the same book as in image 12.
A Partial History III (exhibition view ), 2022
Framed photographs and graphite drawing, dimensions variable
Shown as part of the two-person exhibition Volumes at Lane Meyer Projects, Denver, CO, USA. For this exhibition, I showed photographs of a book and the large drawing corresponding to that book.
A Partial History III, 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 12–13 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages. This exhibition was the first time I showed the large drawings. I have since thought of other ways of displaying them (see images 18–19).
A Partial History III (detail), 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 12–13 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages.
A Partial History III (detail), 2022
Graphite on 300gsm rough press watercolor paper and red oak, 5’6” x 3’11” (dimensions of drawing)
I drew all the marks from the odd pages of the artist’s book shown in images 12–13 on one side of the paper and all the marks from the even pages on the other side. To do this, I projected images of the book pages on the paper—one page at a time and at a ten-time magnification—and drew around all the projected marks. Because of the magnification, the drawn marks on the paper delineate the outlines of the marks on the book pages.
This is a sketch showing one idea I worked on for the installation piece A Partial History of Touch: Vol. I. It shows the two sides of a space—on one side viewers encounter the photographs and artist’s books and on the other side the large drawings. Viewers will be able to walk between the drawings. I am not satisfied with how the two parts of the installation are separated from each other and want to find ways to create more of a conversation between the books and drawings. I will use the fellowship time to refine and finalize the installation. (Installation art includes large-scale, mixed-media environments that often occupy an entire space and that require viewers to walk through the space to engage with the work. An installation is meant to be experienced as a unified artwork rather than an exhibition of separate artworks.)
These are two maquettes showing another idea I worked on for the installation piece A Partial History of Touch: Vol. I. This idea involves wooden support structures to hold the two-sided drawings. The wooden structures act like “spines” supporting the paper (and creating a connection with the books’ spines). This idea is in its initial stages and requires much more thought and experimentation. Please note that there are no drawn marks on the paper used in the maquettes.
23 x 2, 2016
Graphite and acrylic on adhesive vinyl on floor, 50’7” x 25’3” (dimensions of floor)
Site-specific installation, Thkio Ppalies, Nicosia, Cyprus.
The work involved the duplication and translation of all cracks found on the cement floor of the space. I first traced all the cracks and then used the traced shapes to create my own “cracks.” These were made by cutting adhesive vinyl according to the tracings and by painting the vinyl to get it to resemble a stone texture. Each “crack” was then adhered on the floor next to its corresponding crack, with a translation of approximately three inches to one side and three inches towards the interior of the space. The collage became a way of responding to the floor of the space as well as a way of getting to know the space. As with my other work, this piece examines modes of relating to the world that advocate for attention and a quiet responsiveness to our surroundings.
23 x 2 (detail), 2016
Graphite and acrylic on adhesive vinyl on floor, 50’7” x 25’3” (dimensions of floor)
Site-specific installation, Thkio Ppalies, Nicosia, Cyprus.
The work involved the duplication and translation of all cracks found on the cement floor of the space. I first traced all the cracks and then used the traced shapes to create my own “cracks.” These were made by cutting adhesive vinyl according to the tracings and by painting the vinyl to get it to resemble a stone texture. Each “crack” was then adhered on the floor next to its corresponding crack, with a translation of approximately three inches to one side and three inches towards the interior of the space. The collage became a way of responding to the floor of the space as well as a way of getting to know the space. As with my other work, this piece examines modes of relating to the world that advocate for attention and a quiet responsiveness to our surroundings.