Doug Beirend explains the “hauntingly distressed images from Dutch photographer Rohn Meijer“:
The idea for the project came after Meijer discovered a batch of slides in his basement that had been exposed to moisture for 15 years. Most people might have tossed them, but Meijer saw that the moisture had created a pleasing crystallized effect, so he decided to experiment. He began developing a cocktail of water and other chemicals — a formula he prefers to keep secret — that would interact with the silver nitrate on the back of the negative and enhance the crystallization. To keep the negatives as saturated as possible, he built a homemade, hermetically sealed container for them to stew in.
Details on Meijer’s upcoming exhibition here.