The Chalklands series is an evolving exploration of the South Downs' chalk landscapes, focusing on their textures, forms, and inherent fragility. Currently, three primary test pieces have been developed, each employing unique techniques to manipulate printed images, alongside a collection of scouting photographs from various locations such as chalk pits, grasslands, and streams. These works are intended to be captured using medium format photography, printed on sustainable Hahnemühle Agave paper, and sculpturally altered to embody the physical essence of the landscape. The final installations aim to engage viewers by altering their perspective as they move around the pieces, offering a dynamic interaction with the work.

I began by visiting Spectrum in Brighton and going through their paper samples and seeing how they responded to being torn and reshaped. I decided upon one of their more sustainable papers (Hahnemühle Agave), to align with the ecological theme of the project. 

After printing the photograph I mirrored the natural markings by tearing the print along the visible chalk line. I then re-photographed it with a medium format camera to create a new image that echoes the torn land. My aim was to emphasise the chalk’s presence and to make the gap slightly larger than in reality, highlighting the landscape’s fragility and sculptural qualities.

For this image Crumpled Cliff I printed the photograph twice: the first print serves as a stable background, while the second has been crumpled, misshapen, and torn before being re-applied over the top. This enhances the cliff’s form, deepens the shadows, and transforms the landscape, giving it a more physical presence. Exhibited in its sculptural form, viewers could move around it, experiencing shifts in the image depending on their perspective. In hindsight, it’s slightly darker than the original, and would benefit from more considered lighting during the re-photographing process.

Similarly to the crumpled works, I printed two copies to bring the folded nature of the landscape into the piece itself. The background print remained stable, while the second I folded along the lines visible in the landscape. By carefully aligning the longest folded ridge with that of the background, I created an unusual visual tension. Displayed in its three-dimensional form, the work invites viewers to explore the folds and character of the landscape, bringing its sculptural qualities vividly to life.

This short clip shows the work in its sculptural development stage, highlighting how the manipulated print rises above the background, echoing the forms of the cliffs and folded hills.

This selection of scouted Sussex locations highlights distinctive chalk formations. Each site will also be recorded for sound, forming part of an immersive exhibition soundtrack. As the project develops, I plan to explore more experimental displays, including a “broken” photograph, where part of the sculpted print rests among chalk fragments and fossils on the floor while the remainder stays mounted on the wall. This will underline the cliffs’ fragility and bring natural materials directly into the work.

Artist Statement – Chalklands

Chalklands explores the textures, forms, and fragility of the South Downs chalk landscapes. Through a process of printmaking and sculptural manipulation, I aim to translate the character of these landscapes into three-dimensional photographic works. Each piece begins with site-specific photography, capturing chalk pits, grasslands, streams, and cliffs, which are then printed on sustainable paper and physically altered, folded, crumpled, or layered, to echo the natural contours of the terrain.

The project is in development, with three test pieces completed and a wider body of scouted locations informing the series. Final works will be photographed in medium format to capture scale and detail, and displayed in a sculptural form that engages viewers by shifting perspective as they move around the pieces. Through Chalklands, I seek to convey not only the visual presence of chalk landscapes but also their ecological and temporal qualities, highlighting both their beauty and their inherent fragility.