Jessica Eaton (b. 1977, Regina, Saskatchewan) deconstructs color to its basic primary components and then through a rigorous and analytical process creates new imagery that stretches the intentions and capabilities of photography.
Process and Abstraction brings together the largest group of Jessica Eaton’s cfaal (Cubes for Albers and LeWitt) series to date. With works ranging from 2010 to 2014, viewers are invited to consider individual photographs as experiments in an ongoing process of discovery and invention. To the artist, the photographs are “soft proofs” for a new way of understanding of the world, one untethered from the limits of human perception.
The images are constructed on sheets of 4 x 5 inch film. The subject is in reality monochromatic, with a set of cubes and ground options painted white, black, and shades of grey. Through multiple exposures and the addition of red, blue and green filters, the color hues are created in the camera. The reflective value of the cube controls the value of lightness for each hue, while black functions as a reflective mask, keeping potential on the film for other exposures. The images are completely photographic yet depict a subject invisible to the naked eye.
Please also visit MOCA Cleveland for a solo presentation of Eaton’s work titled Wild Permutations (February 6–May 24, 2015), which focuses on the artist’s investigations into the behavior and production of color and presents a groundbreaking new series of works by Eaton, produced with the color carbon process. A monograph, available early spring, will be co-published by Transformer Station, MOCA Cleveland and Oakville Galleries of Ontario, Canada, where the exhibitions will come together for an international tour.
Process and Abstraction brings together the largest group of Jessica Eaton’s cfaal (Cubes for Albers and LeWitt) series to date. With works ranging from 2010 to 2014, viewers are invited to consider individual photographs as experiments in an ongoing process of discovery and invention. To the artist, the photographs are “soft proofs” for a new way of understanding of the world, one untethered from the limits of human perception.
The images are constructed on sheets of 4 x 5 inch film. The subject is in reality monochromatic, with a set of cubes and ground options painted white, black, and shades of grey. Through multiple exposures and the addition of red, blue and green filters, the color hues are created in the camera. The reflective value of the cube controls the value of lightness for each hue, while black functions as a reflective mask, keeping potential on the film for other exposures. The images are completely photographic yet depict a subject invisible to the naked eye.
Please also visit MOCA Cleveland for a solo presentation of Eaton’s work titled Wild Permutations (February 6–May 24, 2015), which focuses on the artist’s investigations into the behavior and production of color and presents a groundbreaking new series of works by Eaton, produced with the color carbon process. A monograph, available early spring, will be co-published by Transformer Station, MOCA Cleveland and Oakville Galleries of Ontario, Canada, where the exhibitions will come together for an international tour.
Left to right:
cfaal 74, 2010
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 403, 2014
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 in.
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 74, 2010
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 403, 2014
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 in.
Courtesy of the artist
Left to right:
cfaal 340, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Private collection, Toronto, Canada
cfaal 72, 2010
Silver gelatin print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 279, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica
Bradley Gallery, Toronto
cfaal 65, 2010
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Silverberg Family Collection
cfaal 344, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 276, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of UBS Art Collection
cfaal 340, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Private collection, Toronto, Canada
cfaal 72, 2010
Silver gelatin print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 279, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica
Bradley Gallery, Toronto
cfaal 65, 2010
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Silverberg Family Collection
cfaal 344, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 276, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of UBS Art Collection
Left to right:
cfaal 109, 2011
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 105, 2011
Silver gelatin print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 222, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Zimmer Family Collection
cfaal 115, 2011
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
cfaal 109, 2011
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 105, 2011
Silver gelatin print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 222, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Zimmer Family Collection
cfaal 115, 2011
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
Left to right:
cfaal 361, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 379, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 346, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Private collection
cfaal 78, 2010
50 x 40 inches
Archival pigment print
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 212, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
cfaal 260, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
cfaal 361, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 379, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 346, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Private collection
cfaal 78, 2010
50 x 40 inches
Archival pigment print
Courtesy of the artist
cfaal 212, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
cfaal 260, 2012
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and M+B Gallery, Los Angeles
Left to right:
cfaal 352, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Bradley Gallery, Toronto
cfaal 333, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Bradley Gallery, Toronto
cfaal 352, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Bradley Gallery, Toronto
cfaal 333, 2013
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Bradley Gallery, Toronto
Jessica Eaton (b. 1977, Regina, Saskatchewan) holds a BFA in photography from the Emily Carr Institute in Vancouver, British Columbia. Solo exhibitions of her work have been held at Contact Photography Festival, Toronto, and The Photographers’ Gallery, London. She has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including New Positions in American Photography (2014), Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam (2014); Phantasmagoria (2013), Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver; Québec Triennial (2011), Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal; and Photography is Magic, Daegu Photography Bienniel, South Korea. Eaton is the recipient of the Magenta Foundation’s Bright Spark Award (2011) and the Photography Jury Grand Prize at the International Festival of Fashion and Photography, Hyères, France (2012). In 2013 she was long listed for the AIMIA | AGO Photography Prize. Eaton lives and works in Montréal.