better living through chemistry
issue 134 – may 2020

Curated by Michael Kirchoff, Editor-in-Chief of Analog Forever Magazine and Founding Editor of Catalyst: Interviews
Visit Michael’s website or follow on Instagram
Visit Analog Forever’s website or follow on Instagram
Visit Catalyst: Interviews’ website or follow on Instagram

Statement from Michael Kirchoff:

“When I wrote the prospectus for this call, I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to receive with the images submitted. I was right, but only to a degree. The number of eye-catching photographs representing myriad ways of applying the chemical process of choice was staggering. Both Bree Lamb and I wanted to provide an opportunity to people where they could run with the idea when it came to the options presented. I’m grateful for her to give me the chance to pass this onto all of those that took this idea and showed me what Better Living Through Chemistry could indeed be. Using this chemistry that you all know and love, you have created works that show us all of the possibilities encountered in making analog-based photographs. I am now more educated about your process and astounded by the creativity I’ve witnessed.

Presenting this online exhibition in a pleasing and suitable fashion became a difficult endeavor, if only due to the multiple ways to do so. My intent all along had been to offer a well-rounded collection of work that fit the call, while also allowing each photographer's voice to come through. While this part certainly made my job easier, the sheer amount of beautiful, interesting, thought-provoking, and well, crazy WTF kind of work made it stressful to narrow down the field. While I was shooting for a collection of about 30 photographs, I ended up including 40, due to the wonderfully impossible nature of what I was looking through. Just know that even if you did not make it in this time, you were probably considered at some point. The outcome is that I not only had the opportunity to view your work, but I was also able to thoughtfully examine it, and now I have a whole new list of possibilities to explore as I move forward with other opportunities and projects. You made the smart move to submit, and for that, I thank you all.”

Selected Artists:

M. Apparition, Christa Blackwood, Ryan Bourque, Tim Bowman, Greg Brophy, Frances Bukovsky, Coleman Camp, Tara Cronin, Brian James Culbertson, Elisabeth Dare, Herb Dolphy, Odette England, Kristýna Erbenová, Cristina Fontsare, Matthew Gallien, J.M. Golding, Jessica Hays, Samuel Hernandez, Ashleigh Howard, Marky Kauffmann, Olivia Kim, Alex Krajkowski, Galina Kurlat, Anna Lawrence, Jason Lazarus, Deb Leal, Frank Lopez, Cecilia Montalvo, Alexei Naoumov, Chrystal Nause, Nadezda Nikolova-Kratzer, Laura Noel, Amy Parrish, Michelle Rogers-Pritzl, Kristina Sergeeva, Deborah Shannan, William Mark Sommer, Gerardo Stübing