ARTIST STATEMENT

“The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.”

– Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia, 1984

I am enraptured by the earth and her creatures. I have spent the past 30 years traveling alone to remote wild places to photograph creatures from the smallest insect to the largest whale. My animal encounters leave me in a state of wonder and awe. It is this reverence I wish to transmit to others through my artwork.

I use 35mm black and white film in traditional Leica macro and Widelux panoramic cameras. I make unique prints on custom handmade Japanese papers. My process is difficult and hard-won and I work this way to honor the animals who give me their attention and who may be the last of their kind.

In the past few years I have abandoned the camera altogether to get as close as possible to the animals I so love. From the jungles of Borneo to the forests of upstate New York, I collaborate with wild animals to make unique photograms – photographs made without a camera. As far as I know, this has never been done before.

Working patiently on moonless nights, I set up huge sheets of light-sensitive photographic paper. When I am working with American black bears, these sheets are eight feet in length. Once the paper is in position, I sit in the dark and wait for an animal to pass by. Sometimes I wait night after night. I do not use a hide and I am in full view of the animal. This takes tremendous trust, openness and stillness.

When an animal appears, I am in awe. I make a quick exposure with a small hand-held flash. This is so minimal that it goes unnoticed. After the animal disappears into the forest, I collect the paper, store it in a lightproof box and later develop the photographic print in a traditional chemical darkroom. The photograms – or Animalograms as I call them – are then toned with pure gold, both to affect the coloration of the print and to ensure it’s archival stability.

The results are unique and magical photographic artworks, each a life-sized direct impression of a wild animal onto photographic paper. Each one a ghostly gift which reflects the fragility and majesty of the natural world.

                                                                                                                      – Zana Briski