Toxic Legacies: Researching and Managing Waste in Photography

Delve into the lesser known stories of the Kodak industry with doctoral researcher Alice Cazenave. Drawing on recent fieldwork in western New York, Alice covers how Kodak contamination touched the ecologies and neighbourhoods of Rochester, the home of Kodak. The talk also presents collaborative photographic projects that use plant matter foraged from sites that form part of Kodak’s story.

Alice’s talk is coupled with learning how to degrade and reduce darkroom and studio waste. Analogue photographic processes produce waste which can be harmful and toxic if not handled correctly. Plant-based developers, while lower-toxicity, still need to be degraded before they can be safely disposed of.

We will also look at waste activation; finding new uses for waste materials within our own practice. This includes how to source materials from waste that we find  around the home and spaces that we occupy.

Please bring a notebook and pen to the session.

When: Saturday 28th September, 2-5pm.

Where: SET Kensington, 7-17 Ansdell Street, W8 5BN.

Facilities: Large darkroom, large bright teaching room with outside area attached.

If you are student/unwaged, please contact us for a discount code.