July 2022: Christine Lorenz
Christine Lorenz holds a dual BA in English and Photography from The Ohio State University and an MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has lived in Pittsburgh for over 20 years, and over most of that time has taught courses in visual culture and the history of photography at Duquesne University and Point Park University. Her photographs have been seen at photo-eye gallery in Santa Fe, in Pittsburgh spaces, and in collections across the United States and Europe. Her work has been featured by Lenscratch, CENTER Santa Fe, Vice, Photolucida, Fraction Magazine, Humble Arts Foundation, Magenta Foundation, and Rogue Agent Journal.
I photograph salt crystals and single use plastics as a way of connecting with the nonhuman world over time. Salt is a peculiar material; it’s familiar to all of us and has countless poetic associations, and it changes form in endlessly fascinating ways. In our daily lives, plastics are just as abundant, but not as benign. In geology, the term “halophilic” describes elements of salt-dependent ecosystems, and salt formations are often indicators of petroleum in the earth. The connections that humans have to the environment through these everyday materials are complex, and may only be possible to grasp a little at a time. In these photographs, I’m using polarized light to chase otherworldly color effects that activate the imagination. The color comes from the interaction of light and plastic: layers of various plastics serve as retarders between the crystals and the polarized light source. As a result, the salt and plastic collaborate in refraction, creating shimmering constellations that only the camera can see.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Other, an installation in collaboration with Lauren Braun and Travis Mitzel, will be on view at Blank Space in Wilkinsburg from August 12-21. Small lenticular prints will be for sale off the wall during the show. For details, follow Christine on Instagram, or join Christine’s mailing list via http://cmlorenz.com/signup
Small photobook “Dissolution” is available on Christine’s website and at Small Mall in Lawrenceville. https://www.smallmallpgh.com/s/shop
