J FREDRIC MAY, SHORTLISTED 3RD EDITION OF THE BIENNIAL’S GRANT
During open heart surgery to repair an aneurysm in 2012, I suffered a major stroke leaving me
legally blind and subject to vivid visual hallucinations. This life event changed my artistic vision,
opening up an entirely new visual style.
Utilizing imaging software that corrupts visual data, I was effectively able to replicate what was
happening with information within my own brain.
I scanned found portraits, maimed their component features and rebuilt them as layered
composites to resemble how I now see, in fragments, somehow familiar, yet strange. I take my
layered composites and print these as cyanotypes. I bleach and tone my cyanotypes with a
mixture of photo chemicals and tea. Ultimately, I digitize the altered cyanotypes and create my
final print.
I have only completed 19 cyanotypes in my ongoing project called, Apparition: Postcards From
Eye See You. There are approximately 220 apparitions yet to be printed. If I am the recipient of
the grant I would use the money for OHP film to create the digital negatives, Arches Platine
watercolor paper and enough cyanotype chemistry to process the watercolor paper.