Iris

Anna Niskanen’s works continue her quasi-anthropological and alchemical exploration of botanical and mineral mediums in photographic printing. The installation consists of two commissioned pieces: a large multi-part and a small, framed print, both in cyanotype technique. Cyanotype is an early photographic process in which a photosensitive emulsion is applied to a chosen surface, exposed to light, and then washed with water. This technique, which has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, has been the primary method in Niskanen’s practice.

The works depict a seemingly cohesive photograph of the sky, which is, in fact, a compilation of images collected from different places around the world. For centuries, people have looked to the clouds to read the atmosphere, interpreting their diverse forms as messages about present and future conditions – weather forecasts, warning of storms, floods, and, more recently, pollution. As both atmospheric carriers and symbols of data, clouds shape our imagination in multifaceted ways, through their digital and physical ubiquity.