"I'm Not Knowing"
Platinum Palladium Photography Show Documentation
"I’m Not Knowing"
AN EXHIBIT OF EDGY PLATINUM PALLADIUM PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONY SANDERS
ARTIST OPENING SATURDAY NOVEMBER FIRST, 2008, SEVEN TO NINE PM
SANDERS STUDIO
211 E. COLUMBINE AVENUE, SUITE A,
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707
First test image for this series titled "In The Beginning."
Artist’s Statement
“I’m Not Knowing” is a visual fictional treatise of the human bio-driven desire and fascination with flesh and its possible confusion with plastic and metal.
Platinum Palladium Photographs
By
Tony Sanders, 2008
During the creation of this series, the illusion of beauty grew into vanity -- sensuality began to unravel into a fascination with human flesh, plastic, and machines. So in a twisted “but not dirty” visual way, I have made note of the underpants of life waiting to be left on the office floor.
As the process continued, it became harder to explain that naked was not a bad thing and it was okay to pose that way for me, so I could reveal the beauty of the human body in a way no one had ever done before.
One must be starting to understand how “renunculous” the production of this project became. The more I encouraged my closest human friends to pose, the more they said no, and in trying to get them to understand, the darker my sense of humor grew. I am amazed at how many humans are so indoctrinated into fearing the beauty of their naked bodies.
This image appeared 16th in the show and was titled "Va Jay Jay" and it might resemble something other than it really is, as is the intention of the exhibit. The negative is an 8”x10” Silver Negative, The print is a contact Platinum Palladium Printed by Sanders on Archival Fiber Paper $550.00 Below is how it looked in the show.
To summarize … I’m a boy. Girls are never girls, they are women or ladies and you better not tell them they are girls. Boys want to encounter two things: (A) - machines / metal / motion, and (B) - soft smooth flesh, or visa versa. Girls too, but just don’t bring it up in potentially embarrassing situations.
Then the scammers, carnies, and theologians enter the picture. They are experts on the whole boy / girl / machine obsession thing, as they dangle stuff made of plastic that looks, almost, just like pretty skin to try and manipulate the human equation. I want it but can’t have it, but maybe I can synthesize it myself. Then I can be attractive too.
This image appeared 15th in the show and was titled "Marshal's Ear." The negative is an 8”x10” Silver Negative, The print is a contact Platinum Palladium Printed by Sanders on Archival Fiber Paper $550.00
To finalize … this is not pornography. This is the twisted dark humor of the human male enticed by feminine wiles, confused by the authoritarian temptation of the scammers, carnies, and theologians, and finally in the end searching who, what, why, when, where, and how to understand the human equation -- hopefully not too late to still “get a life” -- and understand the naked truth of it all.
Entering the Studio/Gallery during the show immediately on the right hung the first test image titled "In The Beginning," made from an 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00 As you looked past that image into the room on the right was the 40"x30" photograph titled "Iron Maiden" printed with Permanent Ultra-chrome Dye Inks on Archival Water Color Paper #1/10 - $850.00
Once inside the second room there were eight more platimum palladium prints plus the big "Iron Maiden." next to "Iron maiden" is "Feet of Jebus" 8"x10" platinum palladium print.
On the right adjacent and across from"Iron Maiden" there hung:
#8. "Thong Sausage Detail" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper $475.00
#9. "Thong Sausage" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paperr $475.00
#10. "Rack of Lamb - Bolt In" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper $475.00
After leaving the second stage of the show, entering to the left or straight ahead from the front door and into the main gallery that shows Sanders's favorite images in the show - below.
#15. "Marshal’s Ear" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00
Above: #16. "Va Jay Jay" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00
#17. "Bolt Ons" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.0
Both shots above are two different angles of the same wall: #18. "Thorax" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $475.00
#19. "Illegal Alien" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00
#20. "Bolt-N-Hand" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00
#21. "Old Man Hand" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $425.00
#22. "Chinese Fingers" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $425.00
Above: #23. "In The Beginning" Permanent Ultrachrome Dye - Archival Fine Art Paper - 59” x 40” Print #1/10 - $1650.00
The above image #24 of "Sinclair Lewis" framed Vintage Gravure by Man Ray aka Emmanuel Radnitzky - $550.00 is the only image in the show made by another artist. Noticing the giant bolt-like structure behind Sinclair I immediately new Man Ray like myself was "Not Knowing."
In sorting out what to photograph and what not to one image turned out to be one that was so wonderful yet too explicit. So it was decided not to go up in the show but ultimately a 44" x 66" print was made of it and it was hung in the back area of the gallery hidden from sight except that the most curios were able to find it and it became quite popular and known as "The Excluded Nude."
Above left to right: #27. "Djess" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $550.00
#28. "Lady-like Foot" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $600.00
#29. "Iron Maiden" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $600.00
#30. "And In The End" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $600.00
Technical
This is a collection of platinum palladium photographs hand made in the intricate grueling analogue style
employed by the early photographic masters and now by Tony Sanders.
These platinum palladium contact prints are made from original 8” x 10” silver gelatin negatives that were shot with Sanders’ large format view cameras and hand processed by Sanders. These images are printed on Berger print-making paper from France that was hand coated by Sanders with platinum palladium emulsions.
There are twenty different images printed for this portfolio. Each print is limited to an edition of twenty, plus approximately six test prints marked artist proofs (AP,) hand signed and numbered (or marked AP) in pencil. The numbered sets of prints are
presented in red and black hand-made book bound cloth portfolios. Each portfolio is imprinted as to its edition number.
Non-portfolio prints are signed as Artist Proofs (AP.)
Stricken and contained in each of the twenty portfolios is one of the twenty actual original negatives used to print
the collection.
The stricken negative in this specific portfolio was used to make the prints contained in all twenty portfolios.
To try and simplify -- the negative that made all the twenty, page one prints, is contained in portfolio 1 / 20. The negative that made all the twenty, page two prints, is contained in portfolio 2 / 20. The negative that made all the twenty, page three prints, is contained in portfolio 3 / 20 … and so on and so forth through 20 / 20.
In the making of these images and assembling this show there were several models, collaborators, and mentors that without their help I could not have completed this mission.
Marshal Astor, Melody Bostick, Mark Chamberlain, Eric Johnson, George Katzenberger, Ludo Leideritz, Martha "Chicki" Mallan, Valerie Martin, RN, Ed Merkle, Tian Qing, Alexander Sanders, Tian Li Sanders, Kevin Sullivan, Chris Williamson
To you one and all I thank you from the bottom of my old scabby heart ... I am eternally grateful.
Sincerely Tony Sanders
#30. "And In The End" 8”x10” Silver Negative, Contact Platinum Palladium Print by Sanders, Archival Fiber Paper - $600.00
This show has a limited publication of twenty beautiful red and black fabric hand made portfolio's. Each portfolio contains a complete set of platinum palladium photographs hand sensitized and printed by Sanders, the artist's statement, and a stricken authentic original negative used in the printing of it's corresponding image. A few of these rare artifacts are still available to purchase at this time for $4000.00. The price may change without notice at any time.
Fini - for now.