DARO MONTAG
b. 1959 Rickmansworth, England

Daro Montag's work are the confluence of art, science and nature. In earlier works, the artist buried previously developed negatives in dirt to allow the micro-organisms and chemicals to interact with the film, which was then printed. In his latest Bioglyphs series, Montag directly places organic matter - in this instance the artist chose kiwi slices - on the emulsion of developed film and allows it to decompose. The resulting chemistry of fruit and film is then printed to reveal an organic abstraction.

Montag describes his Bioglyphs series as art that does not portray objects or entities, as being not optical but physical. "It discloses events and is not concerned with classification but with revelation." He credits not only himself or scientists with the creation of his work, but includes the countless micro-organisms, which he views as the insignificant being brought into signification. "In a universe in which all things are connected, it is a celebration of the cosmos."

Montag received his M.A. in Photography from the Royal College of Art, London, England in 1994. He recently received a PhD in Studio Art from the University of Hertfordshire, England.

Artwork from top to bottom:

K4, 1998
unique Ilfochrome print

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