©Sarah Hood Salomon, Counterpoint, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

This week are featuring work seen at the Los Angeles Center of Photography Exposure Reviews.

Some of the most effective photography projects around climate change and the environment use new methodology to call attention to what we are losing. Sarah Hood Salomon shared a project, Scratched, that allowed her to draw us in with the beauty in her images and then make us reconsider what we are looking at with the intervention of mark making–scratching and wounding the surface of the images to speak to the imminent destruction of these forests. She continues and expands her exploration of subject with sculptural objects, photographs that have been sliced and put behind resin. In a sense, she is creating a mirrored destruction of her photographs to the landscapes that will soon cease to exist

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Young Beech Tree, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

Sarah Hood Salomon is a fine art photographer whose work challenges the definition of a photograph, explores its dimensions, and questions its ability to represent the ever-changing nature of the world in a two dimensional plane. Her award-winning images have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows across the country. She is a photography judge, curator, educator, and author. She received her Master’s Degree in photography through Maine Media College. Sarah’s work is represented by the Multiple Exposures Gallery in Alexandria, VA.

Instagram: @sarahhoodsalomon

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Vines, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

Scratched

Climate change and urbanization have created enormous challenges for the survival of our forests, and the ever expanding human population has severely limited the amount of natural habitats. These photographs were taken on properties that are about to be developed – the trees in the pictures will soon be destroyed. In response to their imminent destruction, I purposely scratch and remove the ink from digital photographs. The powdered ink is then mixed with resin to create sculptural forms. I also disrupt the images by slicing the photographs and using these strands to create three dimensional forms. The original images are unrecognizable and can’t be reconstructed, just as landscapes altered by humans can’t be reassembled.

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Grasses, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Guarded, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Aspen Trees, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Beckoning, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Vortex, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Turbulence, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Blustery, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Cracked, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Cracked Sycamore, Photograph scratched with sandpaper and mat knives

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Cubed, Three cubes feature powdered photographic ink scratched off of digital prints. Ink filings are embedded in seven layers of resin

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Timber Sliced photographs covered with resin Photographs were taken on a property about to be developed, so the structures represent the moment the trees are taken down.

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Almost Exactly, Sliced photograph on top of duplicate photo.

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Thing One, Sliced photograph covered with resin

©Sarah Hood Salomon, Encased, Sliced photograph encased in resin