Ken Collins

Light Touches Paper #140 (2017)
photograph
20 x 16 in.

A 1952 gelatin silver print at the Museum of Modern Art captured my attention. I found myself continually thinking about a particular part of the photograph. A curl of paper with light passing through created a sculptural form that inspired this body of work, Light Touches Paper.

Each photograph is a means to discover and develop an invented image, allowing for a nuanced experience of interior shapes, light and tonal range. There is a purity in form, execution and materials. The attempt is to create compelling images with light and ordinary materials.

My work is steeped in formalism. Simplicity and frugality of materials drives me to create compelling images whereas the composition and light are integral to the image. The mystery in these photographs is what interests me and I leave the meaning to the viewer’s imagination.

© Ken Collins