About -
Kerri-Anne Morris is a Hertfordshire based artist and photographer.
Over the past few months, I have been more interested in making my practice more sustainable, especially after researching more around the topic for my dissertation while at university. At this point I had participated in workshops with cyanotypes and salt printing as well as using pinhole cameras but at the time only saw their creative benefits. Now I am exploring other alternative processes including Lumen Printing, Anthotypes and Chlorophyll prints, I see the benefits that alternative processes can have on reducing environmental impacts within photographic practices. This also includes experimenting with alternative ways of developing film, such as I have included, working with a Caffonol developer partnered with the Zone Ecofix fixer. I know that there are more environmentally friendly alternatives out there but I feel that this is a good starting point for those looking to convert their practices, such as I am trying to do. Additionally trying to work with nature as much as I can, including using natural forms to create compositions as well as allowing snow to create its own images. While trying to reduce my consumption of materials, by recycling resources that can be turned into canvases for my work.
Past Exhibitions
20TH - 23RD JUNE 2024
CRUX - FREE RANGE
Alongside fellow graduates from various Universities across the UK, Free Range showcases the emerging artistic talent. I was able to participate in the 2024 exhibition where I chose to exhibit work from my ‘Death of a Photograph’ project.
For the exhibition I hand printed all the pieces shown, in the darkroom, using various different methods including cyanotypes, salt prints, albumen prints, liquid emulsion and anthotypes. The compositon contains majority of the same photos from the Degree show, but have been displayed in a different order and shape.
Additionally I wanted to include an empty developer jug filled with wilted flowers to further support my theme. To convey the main story of how photography is harming the environment and nature. I hoped that this element would bring the exhibibition together more and at another visual aspect. A summary of what the project was about and encompased with in an object.
Much like the degree show I had to think about the fragility and the uniqueness of the pieces. In this case with the given wallspace I decided to use nails to support the prints rather than putting a whole in the print to hang them. All prints were hung with four nails total with the exception of the biggest print, which would have been too heavy to be supported. For this print I used bulldog clips to hold the paper with nails through the clips to hang it on the wall.
For the smaller display of prints on the plinth, I suspended the prints off of the surface with cotten thread. The string was used to show the interconnectivity between the different subjects, linking photographic waste to water sources, water life, landscapes and humans.
For the smaller display of prints on the plinth, I suspended the prints off of the surface with cotten thread. The string was used to show the interconnectivity between the different subjects, linking photographic waste to water sources, water life, landscapes and humans.
14TH - 22ND JUNE 2024
DEGREE SHOW
BathSpa University, Locksbrook Campus,BATH
Exhibition of work from ‘Death of a Photograph’ my final project as a photogrpahy student, showcased alongside the other students work on the course, a celebration of completing the BA Photography course.
When creating the display I had to think about the fragility and the uniqueness of the pieces because with most display formats, nails or screws are used, which damage the prints. The pieces that I created are all unique in there own way after being hand printed in the darkroom and no exact replicas can be made so it was important to preserve the work. Therefore I decided to use metal boards and magnets to fix the display into place so it could resemble a museum display of artifacts. After display the metal boards were repurposed into welding material in order to reduce waste.
20TH MAY 2024
RETHINK EXHIBITION
BathSpa University, Locksbrook Campus, BATH
The Rethink Exhibition was showcased at Bath Spa University, Locksbrook campus on the 20th May 2024. The exhibition was created to invite people to think about the environmental impact of fast fashion and to share alternative avenues people can take when thinking about consuming fashion products, including:
Megan Smith creating a crocheted top and skirt that dipicts the effects of climate change on the environment
Natash Phipps a short photographic collective exploring the environmental effects of human consumption and in particular the need to preserve the oceans.
Annie Chantx, Ellen Guymer and Olivia Haines have workd together to create a small series of photographs to encourage more people to shop secondhand by provideing visual styling inspiration.
Anya Law contibuting by creating outfits inspired by moives from secondhand stores, then documenting them photographically.
Myself upcycling a secondhand shirt using less toxic photographic techniques...
Artist Statement:
The Environment it Dyeing
This garment was upcycled to create a discussion about the use of synthetic dyes in fashion. In particular their use in relation to the environment. The shirt has been printed using the alternative photographic process of Cyanotypes. This process uses chemistry that is low toxicity, which uses UV light and water to transfer a photo or impression onto a surface. The cuffs on the sleeves are created with pressed primroses and crocuses, which grow in the current season. The bottom of the shirt is printed with photographed Clematis accompanied by text about the synthetic dyes' impacts on the environment. I wanted to create something that can be considered sustainably made around an ongoing issue to show an example of a technique that could be used to reduce and improve the problem at hand. The piece links the environment to the fabric of which it is constructed, being made of cotton, a natural fibre and not plastic based ones.