We are please to share the work of Melanie Walker. Melanie’s portfolio was a Work of Merit in the 2024 Denis Roussel Award
“I love the kinetic energy of the actual photographic banners and their integration with the translation of the subject matter represented on the fabrics. The pathos and beauty of this visual anthem is enhanced when contextually associated with the on-shore winds and the sea, in memory of those who have lost their lives seeking refuge in another country in hopes of a better life. This work is in perfect harmony with every considered element and the spirit of Denis Roussel.” Christopher James
Please tell us about the portfolio you submitted to the Denis Roussel Award.
The work I submitted to the Denis Roussel Award is a series of cyanotype banners that I
made for what I call a windstallation which is a temporary portable set of banners that can easily be installed in a number of locations. The windstallation I submitted was installed at the shoreline of the Adriatic Sea as a memorial to all of the people fleeing war in search of a better life.
Please tell us about your process.
I was given a bolt of silk years ago. I decided to make some banners that would emulate
the feel of water. Air currents and water currents are very similar. Each of the silk banners are approximately 18’ long. I submerged each length of fabric into a bucket filled with cyanotype solution and wrung it out. The fabric was then laid out in the sun to both dry and expose.
What is the most frustrating part of the process?
This project was probably the least frustrating projects I have ever done. It was probably
because I had no expectations, and I allowed the process to guide the project. The best part was seeing them blowing in the wind.
Do you enjoy the process itself or is it just a means to an end?
I love process. Most of my work is a conversation with process and I usually allow it to
guide the work.
How long have you been practicing this process?
I learned cyanotype from my father when I was a child, so it has probably been over 60
years!!!
How do you work through times when nothing seems to work?
I have learned through the years, when I am faced with a slump, to just keep working.
Sometimes that can be terrifying, but eventually things work out. And I have also learned that when I allow my intuition to guide the work, intention usually reveals itself.
What part of image-making do you find the most rewarding?
I think my favorite part is washing out a print and seeing the image reveal itself. There is
so much magic in photographic processes. It’s like alchemy-witnessing straw be spun into gold or light being turned into silver.
What tools have you found essential in the making of your work
For me, light is the most essential. Maybe it’s not a tool but it’s an integral part of pretty
much all photographc work along with vision.
What’s on the horizon?
I have some shows coming up and I am trying to make a book out of a project that I have
worked on for about 40 years. It’s challenging but it feels like it is necessary to wrap up the
project. I also continue to work with some of the destroyed negatives from my father’s archive. I am drawn to images that are somehow altered and these have been changed.
Thank you Melanie
To learn more about the work of Melanie Walker please visit her page by clicking on her name.
