Emily Miller

Ongoing since 2015

In the earliest days of photography, before cameras were accessible or portable, many artists and scientists experimented with photograms - a simple darkroom process using light-sensitive paper and chemical fixative, no camera or film necessary. The simplicity and directness of the photogram process can lead to surprisingly mysterious and abstract results.

My ongoing photogram cross-section project reveals how the internal symmetry of fruits and vegetables recalls other natural structures, from sea life to deep space events, creating a bridge between the everyday and the unknown.

Studying the origins and cultural history of each subject has also revealed how important each of these foods has been to humankind over the millennia of our search for survival and meaning. The necessity of eating has led these foods to become vital symbols in our cultural heritage and personal identity.