Photographer Kevin Sweeney hosted an online artist talk to discuss returning to the darkroom during the pandemic. He will also talk about his process, revisiting film negatives, the frustration and gratification of working in the darkroom, how the darkroom has influenced his digital photography, and the need for creative production during challenging times.
Kevin Francis Sweeney is a fine art documentary photographer and graphic designer. He is the founder and design principal of Rare Specimen Design which specializes in photobook design and production. Kevin grew up in Houston, Texas, is a graduate of Tulane University, New Orleans, and completed his MFA at the School of Visual Arts, New York. He is currently designing books and working on a personal project about New Orleans. Past projects include: the Cuban Footsteps Project, and Sixteen Sundays: Worshipping the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Artist Statement
I use a camera to get out and see the world, to contemplate the known, and explore the unknown around me. I am mindful of the rhythm of life and the curious alignment of place and time. I follow my curiosity looking for something elusive, a hidden thread of connection, a moment that captures the duality of nature-order in chaos, beauty in decay, comfort in despair, and familiarity in the bizarre. I focus on black and white images and practice minimal darkroom techniques, striving to produce fine art prints and books from both analog and digital sources.
Discover more artists