New Light: Joachim Froese on salt printing, slow art and photography now + then

In this episode of the Science Write Now podcast, Amanda interviews Brisbane artist Joachim Froese to discuss one of the earliest photography techniques, the art of salt printing, and how he uses it in his artistic practice. 

We go behind-the-scenes to explore ‘slow art’, the history of salt printing, and the photographic inspiration behind the artwork. Joachim discusses how he blends traditional and contemporary printing techniques to manipulate images taken by the Mars Rover to transport the viewer into the alien landscapes of Mars, and the fascinating work he is doing with seedlings. Amanda and Joachim also speculate on the future of AI in art and photography, and how art can provide a frame of reference for accessing and understanding science in everyday contexts.  

Joachim Froese lives and works in Australia and Germany as a photographer and an educator. His artwork has been exhibited across the world, and many of his images are held in public collections, including in the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. He has a PhD (Arts) from RMIT University in Melbourne and is an honorary lecturer at the University of Queensland. Currently, some of his work is being displayed at the Museum of Brisbane as part of the New Light: Photography Now + Then exhibition. 

Find out more about Joachim by visiting his official website and connecting with him on Instagram. 

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We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.