'Mojave Ruins' | Copenhagen

Limited edition of 10 original photogravure prints. Hand-printed on cream-toned 350gsm Hahnemühle paper (100% cotton, archival grade). Signed, numbered, and embossed by the artist. Plate made in Copenhagen. Unframed.

Printed Area: 23cm x 32cm (9" x 12.6")

Paper Size: 39.5cm x 53.5cm (15.5" x 21")

I took this photo out in the middle of nowhere in the Mojave Desert a few years ago on my film camera. My husband and I drove out to the ruins of an abandoned house he had found on Google Maps satellite view out in Mojave and we spent several hours wandering around taking pictures. The roof was gone but the rafters remained, and the walls were all covered in graffiti and bullet holes. The shadows cast by the harsh desert sun continued across three recessed rooms, like a flattened dilapidated dollhouse.

About the photograure process: a form of intaglio printmaking where the metal plate is made by exposing a photopolymer-covered steel plate to UV light, causing the exposed areas to cure (white when printed) while the masked areas stay soft and wash away, creating grooves for ink to collect once cleaned (print black). Ink is applied and the plate is printed as per the usual intaglio methods. To see the entire process of making this piece, check out my video on instagram.