ryan pepe
Artist statement:
These images have been created from my past lab experiences with DNA analysis and my newer interests in stars and space photography. I started to draw connections between the star trail images and test results created by DNA gel electrophoresis. These gels are a way to essentially create a fingerprint of DNA and the lines created in the gel have some resemblance to star trails. The compositions that I have been creating seek to illustrate our close connection to the stars and our universe.
My earlier photographic compositions only combine two types of imagery at once, such as the DNA pattern placed over a macro skin photograph. This type of image is an illustration of individual identity as the DNA pattern is different for each composition and by hand crafting the pattern to match the skin’s texture, a unique combination is created. Color has also been very important to me in this project as I feel it ties these images together. Throughout my experimentation with these images, I have developed a more abstract aesthetic where the individual components become less apparent and the focus shifts to color and composition. More recently, I have been carrying this theme over to my glass work which led to the creation of a cane installation. By using arced pieces of glass cane, I have created an installation that can be visually compared to the star trails that were the impetus for this project. Light is very important to this project and photography in general, which is why the room is darkened and each piece is individually lit. This creates an atmosphere that is somewhat reminiscent to space and allows light to bring these pieces to another, more visually striking.
My earlier photographic compositions only combine two types of imagery at once, such as the DNA pattern placed over a macro skin photograph. This type of image is an illustration of individual identity as the DNA pattern is different for each composition and by hand crafting the pattern to match the skin’s texture, a unique combination is created. Color has also been very important to me in this project as I feel it ties these images together. Throughout my experimentation with these images, I have developed a more abstract aesthetic where the individual components become less apparent and the focus shifts to color and composition. More recently, I have been carrying this theme over to my glass work which led to the creation of a cane installation. By using arced pieces of glass cane, I have created an installation that can be visually compared to the star trails that were the impetus for this project. Light is very important to this project and photography in general, which is why the room is darkened and each piece is individually lit. This creates an atmosphere that is somewhat reminiscent to space and allows light to bring these pieces to another, more visually striking.