Foam presents the exhibition Out of Camp by the Danish artist in the summer of 2017. Foam presents five recent series: Folded (2014-present), Scatter (2014-2016), Ghosts (2013-2014), Parts (2011-2014) and XCopy (2011-2012). These series are the result of a solitary 487-day journey from the North Pole to Antarctica. The images of remote, rugged landscapes are suffused with a sense of tranquillity, reflection and contemplation. Jeppesen’s work is a search for spirituality, which is found in seclusion, but it also addresses the materiality and transience of the photograph as an object. The journey has left visible traces and blemishes on the photographs.
An important aspect of Jeppesen’s work is his analogue and labour-intensive approach. His photographs are the product of physical challenge and experimental printing techniques. He abandoned his search for the perfect print in favour of cheap reproductive techniques and mass production. Coincidence, damage and imperfection are essential elements in his work. At a time when the image has become infinitely perfectible and reproducible, Jeppesen experiments with the photograph as a unique object that is subject to the forces of change and decay.
ABOUT THE SERIES
The series XCopy (2011-2012) and Parts (2011-2014) consist of A4-sized photocopies that are stitched together and can be (dis)assembled like a jigsaw. Jeppesen experimented with this technique on his studio wall, initially with no other intention than to find the ideal print size. He soon realised that the process of creation was as important to him as the final print. For his Ghosts series (2013-2014), Jeppesen experimented with photogravure: a nineteenth-century printing technique in which an etched copper plate is inked and pressed to paper, generating nuanced greys and exceptional detail. Jeppesen used the same plate multiple times in succession, without re-inking it between prints, producing a fading image that leaves but a shadow of the original landscape. The majestic glaciers of the Folded series (2014-present) are divided into A4-sized grids through subtle folding patterns. The artist printed the images on rice paper and folded them multiple times, as with a map. For Scatter (2014-2016) Jeppesen revisited discarded negatives in search for previously overlooked details, damages and coincidences. By carefully dissecting and recycling his own waste material, the artist attributes new meaning to the otherwise unnoticed and abandoned.
This exhibition was organised in collaboration with C/O Berlin.
This exhibition is made possible with support from the Danish Arts Foundation.
Foam is supported by the BankGiro Loterij, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, City of Amsterdam, Delta Lloyd, Olympus and the VandenEnde Foundation.