Medium: Original 3D Map Folded Cyanotype on handmade paper
Edition: Original
Size: 29mm x 38mm x 4mm (framed)
Signed
Shipping: £25 UK delivery; £40 International delivery.
Inspiration
This artwork was inspired by respected academic and tragic heroine Hypatia. One of the last great thinkers of ancient Alexandria, she was one of the first women to study and teach mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. Widely known for her love of learning and public speaking, her reputation as a great female scholar, honoured astronomer and prominent thinker, transformed Hypatia into a feminist icon and empowering role model for female intellectuals in modern times.
This is taken from the series "Women Who Unlocked The Universe"- A Space Of One's Own: These powerful figures in time revolutionised our understanding of the universe and provided invaluable contributions to the field of astronomy, astrophysics and space travel. In pursuing their passions for the heavens, scouring the skies for stellar spectra, chasing comets and mapping the cosmos they ultimately unlocked the mysteries of the universe.
Technique
Hypatia Maps The Stars was created by constructing a hand-cut collage using female photographic portraiture, a photogram of a wasp nest combined with hand-painted chemigrams creating planetary structures.
After coating the origami map folded handmade paper with light-sensitive chemistry, it is left to dry in a dark room. The large-scale negative is contact printed onto the paper by exposure to daylight (UV rays). The print is then processed by thoroughly washing in water to remove any unexposed solution. It can then be hung to dry, developing to full density Prussian blue after 24 hours. Once dried the piece is then folded into a Turkish map, folded again and framed as a 3D deconstructed sculptural origami object.