Natalie Biesel & Todd Smith
October 4 – November 30, 2013
Bernheim Arboretum Education Center
All images are printed on aluminum by dye-sublimation
All prints are available in editions of 3
The images were captured using a digital camera shooting a long exposure photograph. The colors moving through the tree limbs represent the path of the artist’s climb. Each color corresponds to a different arm or leg where cool colors represent the right limbs and warm colors represent the left limbs. The shutter remains open for the duration of the climb allowing the colors to appear but leaves the climber unseen.
This series was performed by Todd Smith and photographed by Natalie Biesel during Todd’s 2011-12 Artist-in-Residence at Bernheim Arboretum. After their successful first Light Map series shot in Louisville parks in 2009, Todd retired the first light suit made of strands of battery-powered LED lights. He sewed electro-luminescent light strands onto the surface of a new one-piece work suit. Natalie came prepared with an upgraded camera and hours of night shooting experience. They set off from the artists’ cabin in the dark of night starting in November of 2011. In recording Todd’s climbs, Natalie experimented with adding light with a flashlight, sequential shots, and using selective colors during the climbs.
View entire series HERE