Chemigram is an art technique that captures images direct onto light-sensitive paper with the use of chemicals. This art style was invented by Belgian artist, Pierre Cordier in the 1950s. The process of making a chemigram involves applying chemicals on an image on a photographic paper produced by an enlarger, a technical equipment used to adjust the size of negatives or positives in the matter of photography. This has been the signature style of one of our local artists, Nolan Preece. He is an internationally known artist according to Vivian Zavataro, interim director of the John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art, and I was convinced by the fact that Preece is prominent to the art society because I have witnessed the beauty of his artworks during the Nolan Preece Exhibition.
Every masterpiece looked so normal until I started walking around the room. I was the only person in the gallery so I was able to observe every aspect of the neatly framed works without the thought of someone was waiting for me to move on. I took my time to appreciate the uniqueness of the designs. Everything was so satisfying to look at but it also led me to confusion, in a well pleased manner, for the reason that the details in each compositions are too extraordinary to be a painting. I am not the type of observer who is always curious about the process and history of an artwork, but this exhibition made me read the information next to one of the works and saw “chemigram”. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and searched for the meaning of this unfamiliar word owing to the fact that I did not know any background information about the exhibition. I was fascinated by this type of art because I have not seen one before. The works Garden, Midday, and Sierra stood out the most for me.
