"Maisel’s photographs of nearly 110 funereal copper canisters are a mineralogical delight. Bearded with a frost of subsidiary elements, their surfaces are now layered, phosphorescent, transformed. Unsettled archipelagos of mineral growths bloom like tumors from the sides and bottoms—but is that metal one sees, or some species of fungus? The very nature of these canisters becomes suspect. One is almost reluctantly aware that these colors and stains could be organic—mold, lichen, some yeasty discharge—with all the horror such leaking putrescence would entail. Indeed, the canisters have reacted with the human ashes held within" - Geoff Manaugh
David Maisel is an abstract photographer who has made some beautiful images over the past decade. He has been photographing chemical wastelands all over the U.S trying to capture thier unusual beauty. David found his inspiration for this style of work in a state-run psychiatric hospital in Oregon. A lot of the patients at the instution had died and those who were not claimed by a family member were cremated. Their ashes were stored in handmade copper canisters and every single one looked identical. " Each spirit that is housed in these cans seems to demand its unique indiviualtiy, even after death and cremation." The book that was made for this series consists of 80 strikingly beautiful photographs. Chronical Books published this life-size volume and to some viewers the size is daunting. However, the large size helps to see the tiny and subtle details.
David's work is extremely similar to mine for the amount of focus he puts on little details. In each image the colors are vibrant and the macro lens is perfect for capturing the beauty of every can. I think scale is so important when working with these details and I'm glad to see that he took that into consideration for his final presentation of the book.
http://www.lensculture.com/maisel_3.html?thisPic=2
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