Prof. MacCallum and Prof. Morrish
Shaping the art
world
Shaping the art world of today with techniques from the past is where you'll find Marlene MacCallum and David Morrish. The two visual art faculty members at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College are making waves with their use of photogravure - arguably one of the most satisfyingly beautiful image making processes.
Prof. MacCallum and Prof. Morrish have delved into the past, rejuvenating the technique of traditional copper plate photogravure, resurrecting the medium with traditional and contemporary methods. Virtually abandoned in the latter half of the twentieth century due its complexity and expense, the copper plate photogravure process is explored in detail in their book Copper Plate Photogravure: Demystifying the Process. Its purpose is to demystify and clarify what is ultimately a difficult but altogether "do-able" photo-mechanical process.
Copper plate photogravure is a medium that integrates printmaking and photography seamlessly. Camera types used in making photogravures range from traditional 35 mm, medium format and large format cameras to less traditional models such as pinhole and now even digital cameras. Prof. MacCallum and Prof. Morrish use these optical tools for the distinct way they allow the world to be translated.