Awoiska van der Molen – The Humanness of Our Lonely Selves

From the outside in

Van der Molen came across the windows during a trip to the southern islands of Japan, where small houses are built with different materials and in a traditional manner. The walls here are thin due to the mild climate. Nevertheless, she notices, apart from the sound of the television, of soft stockinged feet on hollow floors or rumbling from the kitchen, only the monotonous air conditioning can be heard. No heated discussions, no loud laughter, no free sounds. This is the start of many trips through Japan and her search for why these windows intrigue her so much.

From a distance, the photographer becomes aware of the daily life that goes on behind the windows, without it actually revealing itself to her. The windows reveal interesting surface divisions in black, white and grey nuances, but the play of shadows also adds mystery to things because the opaque frosted glass of the windows subtly but resolutely obscures the inner world from view.

The introduction of carbon pressure

For Van de Molen, the darkroom is the place where she allows her images to slowly emerge again, weeks after she has pressed the shutter button. For her exhibition in Huis Marseille, Van der Molen has opted for a new technical process, especially for the illuminated windows, in addition to her renowned silver gelatin prints. For the first time she uses the nineteenth-century noble process of carbon printing. Originally made with deep lamp black (paint pigment), it is still one of the most durable printing techniques. Because of the intense black, which lies in a thin relief layer on the paper, the technique fits well with the shadow play that is so important in the photos. Because carbon printing – a transfer technique – is so labour-intensive, it is hardly practised anymore. However, the illuminated windows require a patient gaze that takes the time to let the image sink in, both for the photographer and the viewer.