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Almost 20 years a go I met the celebrated professional photographer Michael Going who used a very unusual method to create manipulated Polaroid photo art. His equipment was a Polaroid SX 70 camera and an instant film called ‘Time Zero’. Production of both items was halted well over a decade ago and camera as well as film marketed in an improved version there after making manipulation impossible as
the Polaroid company always viewed that possibility as a product flaw.
Michael used a bunch of primitive and very sophisticated tools ranging from simple pointed wooden sticks to high tech dental instruments to push the top layer emulsion of the Polaroid photograph around in very gentle strokes and in essence “painting” a photograph before the emulsion settled within four to five minutes. The altered available surface material represented now an entirely different image; artistic, creative, colorful and emotional. Fascinated I started to experiment with the same medium and discovered the lighter, eclectic and cheerful side of creating a photograph resembling often a stressed painting.
The exhibit of one time all original photo images you are viewing were commissioned in part by the City of Tucson in Arizona. The subject is the old section of Tucson with focus on the ‘Barrio’ neighborhood a colorful part of town originally occupied almost exclusively by Mexican migrant worker. The show was installed for over two months at the city owned ‘Temple Gallery and Music Center’ and won wide praise and acclaim for its historic - artistic value and message.
I re-photographed each image from 2 ¼ x2 ¼ inch original Polaroid making enlargements to any size possible. The end product as you see it are Ciba chrome enlargements, a process discontinued more than five years ago on account of the lethal chemicals used during the development and light fixing process.
I hope you enjoy with me one form of creative outlet of the human psyche and appreciate the technical details as described.
Helmut Horn
July 2009
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