Nancy Munford has been working in the graphic department with different techniques concerning the project, Making the Sun.
May 2026
The Rays of the Sun are the Sun
For the past five summers, I have been experimenting with solar-exposed cynotype photograms. I mix emulsion and use it like ink, painting images directly onto the paper. I then make spontaneous assemblages of various discarded materials that cast complex shadows onto the surface, and expose them aligned to the midday sun.
Much of my subject matter was informed by this solar aspect of the printing, involving the visulisation of plant photosynthesis, pollination, and organic growth. In series such as Sleight of Hand, which could only be made on still days, the limitations of the setup became part of the work.
The project is weather dependent and seasonal. The results are always just beyond my control. I only can print from May until October, outside on bright days, under the sharp shadows of the sun. My working hours are limited, sporadic, and concentrated, and the project lies in dormancy throughout the winter months.
Making the Sun deals directly with this time of darkness and retreat, and with the removal of the limitations of weather and sunlight. What emerges from this darkness that was not visible in the light?
