zoller photo 2

John Zoller, Alphamega 8, 48 x 70 inches, laser light print, at the APG Gallery, Atlanta, GA. Zoller's "Alphamega" series is "non camera based photography" created with fire on photo emulsion and without any digital manipulation--an old school FX approach, although I'm not aware of anyone who did anything quite like this. It's a bit reminiscent of the Joshua White gelatin/food color/Pyrex dish/overhead projector school of psychedelic light show (pre-laser shows) gone all rigorous and formally elegant. The multifaceted Zoller (a New Yorker now living in Fla.) also did the "United States: Color and Learn" painting series I've posted a few examples of. Below: detail of Alphamega 3.

zoller photo 3

- tom moody 6-21-2006 8:09 pm

old friend of the tree, Gavin Wilson, has been doing exactly this with his photography for over a decade - burning slide film (usually poloroid) scanning it and printing it onto large scale plexi panels. He's exhibited in numerous NYC galleries, I think mostly at Feature. I can only find a link to some of his commercial work but three or four of the examples look like they employ the process.
- steve 6-22-2006 2:22 pm


I'm not sure but I don't think Gavin is affiliated with the linked site/company other than as a contractor.
- steve 6-22-2006 2:35 pm


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- anonymous (guest) 6-22-2006 4:57 pm


Well, I guess since Zoller has the stronger web presence he owns the idea now. But seriously, work that relies so heavily on a single effect can be problematic but I like the "hairiness" of that bottom image. I want to see convincing images of the eggs of our rulers from space and this delivers!
- tom moody 6-22-2006 9:16 pm


Yes, work that relies on a single effect can be problematic. Regarding singularity of work, it never seemed to bother Peter Halley, Mark Rothko, or the king of them all, Robert Motherwell who did "Elegy to the Spanish Republic" for what seemed like ages, to no ill effect.
- anonymous (guest) 6-23-2006 4:05 am


have seen a fair amount of this, with various photographic media. marco breuer's burning of photo paper is actually super intriguing. i also like the work of josh churchill, an emerging sf artist. visit his site and then click on portfolio & then the 'at once' series (second thumbnail in, on the second row). he burns found slides and this often produces uncanny narrative effects...
- marisa 6-26-2006 2:50 am


Here's a couple of examples. It is similar to Zoller's but with the photo-reference/defacement element mixed in. Those poor children, what's happening to them?

josh churchill zeppelin

josh churchill burn backporch

- tom moody 6-26-2006 3:09 am


And Marco Breuer, burned silver gelatin paper:

marco breuer

- tom moody 6-26-2006 3:17 am


thanks, t! :)
- marisa 6-26-2006 7:02 am


I live in Atlanta and found this blog from another blog link in ATL.
I saw the show at The APG Gallery, Hot, Images That Sizzle that the artist Zoller is in . I also saw one of his large photos in Art Chicago last year. The two large photos in the APG show are breath taking with amazing macro-mirco details and color saturation that is not transfered in a web jpg. I want one !






- Roberta (guest) 6-27-2006 11:12 am





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