"The picture, considered only in its ultimate nature, is but a succession or variety of stronger lights thrown upon one part of the paper, and of deeper shadows on another."

–– Henry Fox Talbot, 'The Pencil of Nature' (1844 – 1846)

'That Which It Is' explores the ontological nature of photography – its essence. Light and time, coupled with the human desire to ‘fix’, are exposed as the medium’s fundamental characteristics: those properties without which it simply would not be.

As camera-less images, each handcrafted, fibre-based print in this series is unique, created solely through the contact of light on light-sensitive paper. By stripping the medium down in such a way, photography’s intrinsic nature is allowed to shine through.

The longer the light has been allowed to sit on the paper, the darker the greys. The shorter the time, the lighter those greys become. From faint white to pure black, each tone represents a different interval of time – all of which collide into the quiet space of a single frame.

Louise CW Coates is an artist currently based in Brighton, UK. Although most often photographic in nature, her creative practice habitually embraces and is inspired by a range of artistic mediums. She often delves into philosophical thought, creating conceptual works that deal with the nature of photography, temporality and the human condition.

Louise continues to be inspired by both historic and alternative photographic processes and techniques. Most notably, she has explored the space of the darkroom, producing camera-less images resulting from vigorous experimentation and a relentless curiosity about light and light-sensitive materials.