Crossing
Crossing grew out of the project “St-Jean, Quebec”. “St-Jean, Quebec” was based on the first battalion of French Canadians to be sent to France in 1915 to fight in the Great War.
The shape of the paper, which was cut out of the paper frame, used for the portraits in "St-Jean, Quebec." The suggestive effect is of leaves. The prototype was an interesting study of cast shadow, which upon installing the piece became almost more important than the paper. The color seemed to suggest air or clouds. The leaves are moving on water, as if the soldiers were leaving a condition of innocence to a baptism of fire. Baptism would be an appropriate cultural metaphor for the loving and protective figure of St-John the Baptist whose role was to carry people across a river.
Crossing is made of 700 shaped prints. The photographic component was achieved using a non-silver process called cyanotype, which was then bleached. Each print is hanging from a small stainless steel shank. The steel shank is a tool found in metal arts.
The suggestive effect is of leaves moving on water, leaving a condition of innocence to a baptism of fire, and is an appropriate cultural metaphor for the loving and protective figure of St-Jean Baptiste.