Michaela Gleave
Blueprints for the universe (Stars 1- 4)
2023
Cyanotype contact prints in Bergger COT 160, framed
16” x 20”
Blueprints for the universe is a series of photographic prints that recreate speculative representations of the night sky. Produced by Gleave during a residency at the Sydney Observatory, the prints reference the thousands of glass plate negatives created by the Observatory using the astrograph, or ‘Star Camera’, from the late 1800s onwards, as part of the first comprehensive survey of the southern sky. Responding to the Observatory site, Gleave’s work considers the interconnected histories of photography, astronomy, and maritime navigation, and the role they played in the colonisation of Australia. Vivid blue, Gleave’s prints emphasise the watery properties of the cyanotype medium, with each image a document to its own construction. Created intuitively using layers of glitter and diamante, the works reflect on the significance of the celestial dome to the human history, capturing time through their exposure, using light from our very own star.
Produced during a residency at Sydney Observatory. Exhibited as part of Stargazing, curated by Stella Loftus-Hills at the Museum of Australian Photography, Melbourne, 25 November 2023 - 18 February 2024