Susanne Brandt’s infrared photos, including View from Boat Pond, will be in her solo exhibition Moments in Time, opening Sept. 9 at Studio Vendome Projects in Manhattan.
Susanne Brandt, a photography and ceramics teacher at Wilton High School will have her first solo photography and ceramics show in Manhattan Sept. 9-30, at Studio Vendome Projects.
Called Moments in Time, the exhibition features her Infrared photos printed on metal as well as Raku fired ceramic pieces. There will be an opening reception Thursday, Sept. 18, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the gallery at 32 Grand Street, New York City. A percentage of the sales of the photographs and ceramics will benefit The American Theatre Wing.
Also in the show will be examples of Susanne Brandt’s Raku fired ceramic pieces including her Dalmatian Crackle vase.
A native of Sherman, Conn., Ms. Brandt has been exploring the world of infrared photography since 1993. She started with film and then switched to digital in 2012 when she converted a digital SLR camera for infrared use. With her new camera, she has been able to photograph “the world of the unseen” because the naked eye cannot see infrared light, Ms. Brandt said in a press release.
“Infrared lies just beyond what is classified as the ‘visible’ spectrum of light. The colors of infrared are determined by the reflection and absorption of light as well as the differences in temperatures between an object and its environment. The most dramatic results are shown in outdoor scenes, where green foliage and the surrounding background take on a dream-like surreal quality giving the final image a glowing appearance,” she said.
Susanne Brandt’s Crackle Carpet vase.
“My current photographs, which are printed on aluminum, were taken with my converted camera to capture the infrared spectrum,” she continued. “I photograph scenes that exhibit an unusual interplay of light, color and composition. My work seems to capture a compelling moment in time found in cityscapes, street scenes and human emotion,” she added.
Ms. Brandt’s ceramic work will complement the infrared photographs in the exhibition. The decorative, wheel-thrown pieces, finished in her Stamford studio, are Raku fired, a Japanese technique where pots are placed in an outdoor kiln and heated to 1,800 degrees.
She alters the shape of the pieces and adds sculptural elements during the stage prior to firing. After the specialized glaze has melted into a glossy sheen, the red-hot pieces are removed from the kiln with metal tongs and placed into a chamber with combustible materials such as wood shavings and leaves. This process ignites a smoky fire that produces a lustrous effect on the glaze while blackening the unglazed clay.
There will be a closing reception Saturday, Sept. 27, from 5 to 9 p.m.
Information: brandtstudio.com.