Final year project
A Study of Preservation
A Study of Preservation
This image is a close up image of one of my A0 lily prints. These prints are made using the hydraulic printing press and pressed for long amounts of time to achieve a distinct press of the flowers. I have developed this process since my foundation year at Loughborough. It began by printing a leaf and has continued to develop in scale and the materials used. It is a process that has been adapted using natural pigments and materials such as coffee, ink, salt, flour and wine.
This image shows an A5 cyanotype print with a lily petal in the centre. These prints are on an A5 scale and are made using coffee, salt, flour and cyanotype chemicals and exposed to white light. They depict the ethereal quality of flowers and highlight their delicacy.
A0 ink print on watercolour paper.
This print is from a series of A5 cyanotype prints made on handmade paper. The handmade paper I make is embedded with flowers which are brought to the forefront in the development process by immersing them in water.
This is a close up image of a large sheet of A0 handmade paper. This paper was made using turmeric as a natural dye and is embedded with lilies. Many were placed on the page while they were still buds, but due to the water used to make the paper, they bloomed on the page over time. This paper depicts a way that nature is preserved within a medium that has been used to record and preserve history and information over time. I was inspired after bookbinding to create a way to expand and develop printing into books on a larger scale.
This is an A5 handmade book that I have printed using flowers and ink. The book has been hand-bound and stitched and is embedded with handmade paper. This is a very intricate and slow process that takes weeks to begin from measuring pages, adhesive binding, along signature stitching using book twine. I chose to develop this process because I wanted to find a way to create a different reading experience by creating a book reflecting a sequence of moments in time and space in print. Testing prints and etchings on various scales were essential to see the intensity and the spatial possibilities within the book itself. In the late sixties and early seventies, the distinction between a book and bookwork became blurred. Many examples from this era were using photography and text, however, I wanted something more tangible and physical in conveying the preservation of nature. The space has been altered into a new form of visual literature.
A0 ink print on watercolour paper made with vinegar, ink, flowers, turmeric and sindoor powder.
Cyanotype, A5 is made with coffee, salt, flour and wine.
Kaiya Khatri
Final year project
A Study of Preservation
Work Experience
I have volunteered at Northampton Contemporary Gallery and worked with artists to learn key skills about curation and setting up an exhibition. Whilst volunteering I was also in charge of creating the volunteer’s exhibition where I exhibited the final pieces from my foundation year at Loughborough University. Learning these skills and working with contemporary artists in a gallery setting, gave me an insight into how artists work and the tools needed to create an exhibition. Leading the volunteers and collaborating with artists also enabled me to learn workshop skills and gain more confidence in presenting my work. I hope to continue volunteering in the future and expand my role working with Northampton Contemporary Gallery.