Sheila Pinkel, born in 1941, is an artist-researcher whose work is characterised by experimental studies into a range of techniques, resulting in works that are politically and socially engaged. During her art studies in the 1970s, Pinkel embarked on an extensive exploration of light in its various forms, collaborating with physicist Don Villarejo. The influence of her father, also a scientist, profoundly shaped her artistic development, fostering a fascination with science that led her to create photographs at the intersection of art and scientific inquiry.

At first glance, the vivid blue colour of this photograph might suggest a cyanotype. In reality, however, it is a so-called xeroradiograph. Between 1978 and 1983, Pinkel became fascinated by this X-ray imaging technique, commonly used in medical diagnostics. Unlike cyanotypes, which rely on a photochemical process to produce cyan-blue images by capturing an object’s imprint through ultraviolet light, xeroradiographs reveal dimensions hidden to the naked eye. The process involves placing an object onto a charged selenium plate, exposing it to X-rays, and producing both positive and negative prints on paper. Through this technique, Pinkel offers us an arresting vision of the object, revealing a ghostly, dream-like image that is both highly detailed and abstract, capturing the radiant energy of light itself.

In this photograph, the artichoke takes on an almost otherworldly quality, resembling a jellyfish adrift in deep water. Suspended against a field of deep blue, it appears almost weightless. Form and light merge into a single entity, creating an image of striking harmony. The intensity of the blue, meanwhile, pulls us into a hidden world, evoking the vast, unfathomable depths of the ocean.

Text | CC BY-NC | Aurélie Probst