Selenology
The moon has a strong hold over human imagination and well-being. It is the subject of love songs and controls our ocean’s tides. Admittedly, I took the moon for granted for most of my life. But I became fixated on this celestial object when I started reflecting, years later, on the solar eclipse I witnessed in 2017. It was one of the most spectacular events that I have ever observed.
In order to create imagery focused on the moon, I spent time learning about its history and characteristics. This collection of paper cutouts is an homage to this beloved planetary body.
Diffraction Grating
I am interested in how transparent and translucent materials change when backlit by sunlight. Diffraction grating film creates an especially splendid effect because it contains microscopic grooves that refract white light. When the sunlight passes through the sheet it disperses, separating into its different colors, making the invisible visible.
I found placing the grating film behind a paper cutout of the moon activated the negative spaces cut out from the paper. On a clear day during high noon the visible spectrum would burst through these spaces. When the cutout was held in front of the sun as it was setting the intensity of the shape of the spectrum would soften, as if it were ink swirling through water.
