Process
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Rooted in the digital native space, the digital photographs are regarded as the true original works of art.
In 2021, Cardelucci deployed a singular smart contract titled CARDELUCCI (0xFcC83BB00b2C3E51ec580d2B5cA4890f3A40Dcf0) on Ethereum, creating a unified home for all photographic works, known as her Plates. This deliberate consolidation under one contract reflects the artist's commitment to maintaining coherent provenance and authorship across the evolving body of work. Earlier explorations were minted on shared contracts during the nascent period of blockchain technology, marking the journey toward complete creative autonomy.
The singular smart contract serves as both practical tool and conceptual framework—mirroring the series' exploration of preservation within impermanence. Each digital original exists as a unique entry within this unified ledger, creating an immutable record that honors the work's themes of time, memory, and preservation. This approach transforms the blockchain from mere authentication tool into an extension of the artistic practice itself.
By integrating high-resolution imagery into decentralized storage, the works maintain their visual integrity across future technological shifts. The singular contract ensures that as the Plates continue to evolve, each new work contributes to a cohesive digital legacy.
PLATINUM PRINTS
The platinum printing technique is a remarkable process that transforms images into enduring works of art by utilizing precious metals, platinum and palladium. Beginning as digital files, these images are translated into physical negatives, bridging contemporary technology with one of photography’s most historic and revered analog printing methods. The result is a print of unparalleled archival quality, with the potential to endure for well over a millennium, assuming the paper can withstand the test of time. The metals fuse with the paper, creating a distinctive, almost ethereal radiance on its matte surface. These jewel-like prints occasionally leave behind delicate brushstrokes and nuances that enhance their handmade charm.
The platinum printing method is a contact printing process, requiring the negative to match the desired image size precisely. Hand-coating with a brush is essential for each print, and this manual process introduces numerous variables that influence the chemical reactions, resulting in distinctive outcomes. The exposure requires a precise amount of ultraviolet (UV) light and humidity to gradually reveal the final image, a meticulous and time-consuming revelation.
Crafting a platinum print is a challenging endeavor, yielding a genuinely unique piece materialized through chemical reactions. The true glimmer of these prints comes to life when experienced first-hand, allowing one to bask in their luminous, nuanced tonality.
Each platinum print is produced in direct relation to the digital Plate recorded on Ethereum, ensuring a direct provenance to the original work.
GELATIN SILVER PRINTS
The gelatin silver print, traditionally an analog format, is uniquely enhanced by merging digital technology with traditional darkroom craftsmanship. This process transforms digital images into rich, luminous black and white prints through the time-honored chemistry of silver halide, where the final works are presented with a glossy surface finish. These prints bridge past and present by using light-sensitive Ilford silver gelatin paper to capture digital files. Unlike ink-based prints, the image is formed by pure light and silver, creating a depth and richness that is unmistakably photographic.
Silver prints are developed in liquid photo chemistry, a process that imbues it with exceptional archival stability and a tonal range that is both crisp and nuanced. The result is a print with unparalleled sharpness, seamless gradations, and a tactile presence that speaks to the essence of classic black-and-white photography.
Each silver print is produced in direct relation to the digital Plate recorded on Ethereum, ensuring a direct provenance to the original work.