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Arts & Communication Creativity and cyanotype: Camera-less photography

In the last session, emulsification was performed again, The workshop took place in a makeshift metal-sheet
this time on various non-traditional materials such as chapel located in the Che Guevara community on the eastern
cardboard, wood, and stone. This variety of media was outskirts of Aguascalientes, Mexico. The non-profit group
proposed as an experiment that allowed the students to had spent a year, at the time, organizing educational courses
observe the expressive possibilities that everyday materials and workshops as a means to combat the violence within the
and recycled elements can provide. The students then community, which struggled with financial instability and
applied the cyanotype process to recyclable materials, such water shortages. Due to the conditions of the community,
as wooden boxes, newspaper, construction debris, and the chapel where the workshop was held (Figure 2) did not
cardboard, giving these items purpose and a new meaning have water supply, which was not, as of yet, provided to the
as photosensitive surfaces (Figure 1). community by the corresponding government authority.
Therefore, a 20-L jug filled with water was brought there for
To provide a respite from the fast-paced, enthusiastic teaching purposes. This amount of water was sufficient for a
production of cyanotype pieces, a presentation was given 2-h workshop. Since the chapel was devoid of the necessary
showcasing cyanotype projects created using recycled technical equipment, we omitted the teaching process using
materials. A discussion followed in which these pieces slide presentation, but focused on the practical aspect of the
were analyzed and students reflected on their own choices workshop using pre-exposed images instead.
of materials to print their work. The students then decided
to reuse the transparencies made in the second session and The target audience of the workshop was a group of
apply the cyanotype process on recyclable media to give children aged 4 and 13, who initially presented some
new meaning to the images. challenges in the learning process. However, the activity
quickly engaged their interest. The boys and girls were
The results achieved during the workshops highlight the particularly fascinated by how different paper sizes
attractiveness of cyanotype as a photographic technique. produced markedly different results. The process began
It is forgiving, physically engaging, practical, and with small squares of paper, then progressed to medium-
enjoyable. Cyanotype offers a playful craft that encourages sized ones, and finally, large sheets. The students aimed
exploration and embraces randomness, requiring no prior to make cyanotypes with the largest sheets of paper. The
training for a successful outcome. The use of recyclable students expressed interest in making cyanotypes at home.
materials, such as cardboard, wood, and construction In a follow-up, on their own initiative, they shared what
debris, engenders a wide range of results, as a single image they had learned during the workshop with other children
can be recreated using different media. It should be noted who had not attended the previous one.
that the accessibility of the technique allowed for a fast- Place: Viñedos Rivier rural community, organized by
paced overproduction of cyanotype pieces, which could the non-profit group ComunHilar
be counterproductive to students interested in creating Students: Seniors from the community group Alegre
artwork of cultural significance. Therefore, a break was Atardecer
scheduled during the sessions so that the students paused Number of participants: 12
working on their art works and the contemporary artists
pre-analyzed their works to mitigate the overproduction
issues and emphasize the significance of investing artistic
value in the process.
3.1. Rural community workshops
The course was offered in two rural communities in the
city of Aguascalientes, in collaboration with two non-profit
groups dedicated to helping groups at risk. Challenges
quickly arose, as there were no proper venues to teach the
course and the available places have no access to public
utilities, like water. The two experimental workshops are
detailed below.
Place: Che Guevara rural community, organized by the
Jornadas Permanentes de Educación Popular group
Students: Children living within the rural community,
aged 4 – 13 Figure 2. Implementation of workshops in the Che Guevara and Viñedos
Number of participants: 15 – 20 Rivier rural communities, 2022.

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.1453