Looking for life on the photographs of dead people

Using electron microscopy, I analysed a photograph of my grandfather for the traces of organic and non-organic matter, changes on the surface etc. On this basis, I built a narrative of the history of this photograph. I am interested in the photograph as an object and its history, not the content of it. Accompanied by Prof. Rudolf Erlach (Archaeometry, Technical Chemistry and Science Visualisation Department), we used a detective-style of thinking (deduction) to try to rebuild the history of this object. For example: pieces of organic matter that were recognised by Prof. Erlach as textiles and leather leads to a conclusion that this photo was a personal object carried in the pocket or in leather wallet. By combining this information with the date inscribed in the back of the photo - three days before beginning of World War II, summer, happy atmosphere of teenagers spending relaxed time near the lake - strange dramaturgy between object, image and text has been achieved. Photography and microscopic traces of matter on its surface becomes a reason for spinning possible stories.

In the future, I will use the photographs for story-telling performances.

Keeping in mind unfolded narration from the microscopic analysis I’ve been staring for a long period of time at the microscopic photographs. Effect of this is a series of an anthropomorphic forms projected by my brain onto the surface of the microscopic material.