Christian Marclay

American multimedia artist Christian Marclay creates unique cyanotype contact prints of unravelled cassette tapes to investigate "visual abstraction to capture the old soundtracks" (Bunyan 2016). Marclay titled his work acknowledging the cassette and "media technology that is rapidly approaching extinction" (Higgins 2013, 212). Marclay further applies the "cyanotype process to portray their demise and simultaneously summon beauty from banality" (ibid)

To create Memento, Marclay first coated the substrate with cyanotype solution, commonly applied by hand using brushes, sponges or spray bottles. Next, the treated substrate must be laid out to dry. After drying, the prepared substrate must be arranged, and the desired objects placed on the surface and exposed to light to create the photographic impression. Finally, the substrate must be developed, dried and prepared for installation.

Christian Marclay 2008, Memento (Survival of the Fittest), unique cyanotype print on paper, 1310x2340mm

Christian Marclay (center) producing a unique cyanotype at Graphicstudio, University of South Florida, Tampa. Image courtesy of USF Graphicstudio. Photo: Will Lytch.

Keywords

Christian Marclay, Cyanotype, Contemporary photography

Bibliography

Bunyan, Marcus. 2016. "Christian Marclay Memento (Survival Of The Fittest)". Art Blart. https://artblart.com/tag/christian-marclay-memento-survival-of-the-fittest/.

Higgins, Jackie. 2013. Why It Does Not Have To Be In Focus. London: Thames & Hudson.

Lytch, Will. n.d.. “Christian Marclay (center) producing a unique cyanotype at Graphicstudio, University of South Florida, Tampa”. Image. https://artinprint.org/2014/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/6.4_Marclay_01.jpg.

Marclay, Christian. 2008. Memento (Survival Of The Fittest). Image. https://artblart.com/tag/christian-marclay-memento-survival-of-the-fittest/.

Tallman, Susan. 2016. "To The Last Syllable Of Recorded Time: Christian Marclay". Art In Print 6 (4). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26408703.