BEN CAUCHI  The Doppler Effect

Nine sentences about history… followed by three about time.

In thinking about the background to The Doppler Effect portfolio, another series, Borderland, keeps coming to mind. It was the first time I approached a body of work as a single entity – and as a particular narrative – rather than as a selection of singular works. A cinematic approach. For that series I was keen also to alter the scale of the work – to draw attention to the image over the object, and to assist in this filmic reading. I see this new portfolio in very much the same way. That the work should be presented as a boxed portfolio was a desire from the outset. The tactile qualities; the more intimate engagement of directly handling the work; the printed pages; the sequence – all these were part of the consideration. Equally, making use of the particular qualities of another medium – in this case the salted paper print – was an important factor. Sometimes things just sit right one particular way.

While the suite of salt prints forms the crux of this body of work, four new collodion positives sit alongside it. These will be displayed separately – each on the wall for two weeks before giving way to the next. This shifting installation is important, and can be seen as the final aspect of the work.

Ben Cauchi
October 2010

BEN CAUCHI  The Doppler Effect
December 4 2010 – January 28 2011
McNamara Gallery
190 Wicksteed Street
Whanganui