KASIA WOZNIAK
“I APPROACH MY PHOTOGRAPHY JUST AS I WOULD AN INSTRUMENT.
IT IS MUCH LIKE HAVING A CELLO FOR LIFE. MY CAMERA IS LIKE MY CELLO AND MY CRAFT IS LIKE PLAYING IT.”
Elephant Flowers
As we chat over FaceTime, Kasia indulges in a plate of Pierogi from a local Polish shop near her East London studio. She is currently an artist-in-residence at Sarabande Foundation, a programme gathering outstanding talents defining the present and tomorrow of artistry and craft in fashion.
In an image proliferated world, where pictures are forgotten as quickly as they are captured, Kasia Wozniak finds her unique creative language. Her work embraces the historical technique of wet plate collodion, repositioning this old method within the modern fashion image scene.
“Coming from Poland, where the bar of whatever you do creatively is very high, you’re never truly satisfied with your performance. (…) I often question myself if being good enough is truly sufficient? Also what does perfection mean? Perfect vision doesn't necessarily mean a flawless image..”
Kasia's choice of such a particular technique comes from her desire for the craft in photography and her reconsideration of how to approach creativity and longevity in todays ever changing realm. Through her practice, she chases the tangible and enduring. “Application of wet plate to fashion is important to me perhaps because searching for something physical is important to me. Something that can last, something that is crafted. Fashion, in its essence, emerges from the craft and there’s a collective movement towards slower practices. The fast in fashion simply feels irrelevant now, the change is inevitable” .
The wet plate collodion process, with its magical and alchemic aura blends chemistry with creativity and involves both control and serendipity. Each photograph crafted this way becomes a one-of-a-kind artefact. The extended exposure time adds quite a unique quality to the final outcome. It goes beyond capturing a frozen second of a shatter. Those images have unique soul, a longer connection between the photographer and the sitter can be felt and recognised almost palpably on such photographs.
William Doyle by Kasia Wozniak
In January 2004, Kasia came to London from Poland. Little she knew that a language course trip will evolve into a life-changing move. Upon arrival, a DSLR was her companion as she observed the city through the lens. At that point, she had yet to realise that photography will become her full-time life path. A chance meeting with a friend sparked an idea to enrol on a short course at London College of Fashion. It’s where she continued her studies including MA.
It was a period when digital photography was considered the hottest thing, new cameras and the limitless possibilities offered by digital edits sparked a wide excitement. Kasia's perspective however diverged from the mainstream. Already at LCF she recalls spending more time than her peers in the darkroom, fascinated by the alternative techniques of image production and film photography. “I asked myself - what if I had just one camera? One camera like an instrument versatile enough of capturing both brilliance and imperfection? One instrument able to play both good and bad music?” shares Kasia.
The turning point came during her studies on a trip to Vienna, at a flea market :“I stumbled upon this tiny 1.5 cm portrait in wet plate collodion. I knew I want to try to make something just like that.” Despite initial resistance from tutors citing hard to get equipment and cost concerns, she revisited the idea of studying it for her final major project. “In my final year, I decided to try and dive into wet plate. I spent a lot o time at the British Library, studying old manuals. Sally Mann work was big influence. And later Sean McKenna. He was the only person in London practicing wet plate at that time. I learnt a lot from him.”
Dior, 10 magazine Australia
“Wet plate is like the dinosaur of photography, one of the earliest processes in the field. Engaging in such old methods, mixing chemicals, cutting glass, and other accompanying processes..It keeps me stimulated and I like having to constantly learn. (…) All the uncontrolled imperfections — like something out of focus or blurry — it holds its own value and makes the image unique”
Jack Self for Dapper Dan magazine
“The criteria for a good picture, to me, revolves around resonance. I work a lot with memories and with the concept of time, examining how experiences evolve over its passage. One of my early projects was inspired by John Cage's "4 minutes 44 secs”. A special one, it’s all about the actual lack of music.” The piece, often regarded as the most intense musical experience one can have, strongly links with Kasia's work. The wet plate collodion process, in her practice, leans on elements of meaningful stillness, focused intention and the passage of time.
‘anticipation’
‘Objects in space’
Kasia’s sets are very intimate. Her photographing process requires a focused and undistracted environment making a smaller team essential. “I don’t work with flash, so I need long exposures , often 10,15 seconds. Its a bit like in a theatre play. You need to have things planned and well coordinated.” In these extended moments of stillness, time undergoes a somewhat of a transformation, making the dynamic between her and the sitter close and personal. Due to the longer time required for each shot, every capture for Kasia is a highly intentional act. "If I need to deliver, say, 10 pages for an editorial, I take precisely 10 or 11 pictures. I rarely do more." In an era saturated with an overwhelming array of choices that we have to make in life everyday, Kasia's planned, deliberate process, rather than restrictive, feels very liberating.
Following the capture, the photograph must be developed within 15 minutes, so a darkroom has to be on hand at the shooting location. Kasia cherishes this alone-time with her picture, its her sacred moment in the process: "It's important for me, being alone in the darkroom, seeing the image before anyone else. I can discern whether a retake is necessary or not. It's a precious time where I feel a complete ownership over my work."
Technique, if not carefully managed, can become a barrier, causing the viewers to perceive the photograph primarily through the medium used. To avoid that, strong art direction, thoughtful set design and carefully considered styling are key. “It’s important to construct an image well so it feels relevant to today. Otherwise the process can overpower the image. I aim to avoid having my pictures look tied to the era of their technique.” While she likes vintage clothing and classical cuts, in her sets, she mixes them up with contemporary pieces to achieve an era-defying aesthetic.
Dapper Dan magazine
The colour is something particularly important and interesting to consider when working with wet plate. This method is sensitive exclusively to blue and ultraviolet light, causing colours like red or yellow to appear darker in the photograph. So it’s an important factor to keep in mind when planning make up and styling. Kasia makes an interesting point: “Take, for example, the Victorian period, which, contrary to common perception was in reality, more vibrant in terms of colours. When looking at photographs from that period, it may give the impression that people wore predominantly mourning clothes. However most likely there was a lot of shades like honeys or reds, which turned black due to collodion. So in my work makeup oftentimes is orange or yellow.. Likewise styling needs to be considered as well” She doesn’t chase the real and photographically perfect in her work. Quite the opposite. Through bold colour, unique scale and perspective she often envisions objects photographed in almost subverted reality. “My pictures have nothing to do with reality. Even in my still life I want it to look quite far from what those objects are and what feels true and familiar.”
As we talk about influences and inspiration Kasia shares that a lot of her work is guided by the subconscious: “Ideas come to me in dreams, emanate from within myself. I rarely create grand, detailed mood boards. Instead, I trust my feelings. I might encounter a person and suddenly just know what I want to channel through the image. When preparing the set, I might paint an abstract shape in the backdrop like a square or a circle. Mythological themes are present in my work a lot”.
Daisy Collingridge
Music plays significant role in her life. Reflecting on her childhood she recalls "I was surrounded by vinyls growing up. I also listen to classical music a lot, it has unique power transporting me to another realm. I used to play clarinet in childhood and even compare my camera to an instrument today. “ she admits laughing “I approach my photography today as I would an instrument, it is much like having a cello for life. My camera is like my cello and my craft is like playing it.”
The upcoming 2024 promises to be both exciting and busy on her schedule. “I’m staying at Sarabande for another year of residency. I’m very grateful for the whole support I’ve received from the foundation and from Trino Verkade. I want to secure a representation both at gallery and agent level. I would like to focus a bit more on some self-directed projects including exhibitions, maybe a publication. Plenty of plans ahead.”
To keep up to date with her stunning work be sure to follow her Instagram.