13. Material Affinities in the Photographs of Álvarez Bravo, Modotti, and Weston

Описание: Bryanna Knots, Assistant Conservator, CCP and Cynthia Yue, Data Analyst, LML

The relationships between artists known to have practiced together over a period of time are explored through the physical characterization of photographs by Lola Álvarez Bravo, Tina Modotti, and Edward Weston. The intersecting lives and practices of these photographers raise questions regarding spheres of influence and potential material trends shared across their technical practices, underscoring the impact of interpersonal relationships on an artist’s oeuvre. To address these questions, a collaborative research project was conducted between the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona and the Lens Media Lab (LML) at Yale University’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. The research involves a comparative analysis with a materials-based approach to print characterization and interpretation, contextualizing the CCP’s extensive collection of Álvarez Bravo, Modotti, and Weston prints within the LML’s reference collection of historical silver gelatin papers. In applying both conservation and data science methods to an examination of the prints’ physical properties across color, gloss, texture, and thickness, the research suggests new ways of thinking about the practices of these artists, shifting the paradigm to include examinations of underlying patterns of materiality in considerations of artistic intent.