BOISBUCHET RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
ZAIN AL KHALIFA
SEASON 2022
Zain Al Khalifa is a film photographer that likes to make images from existing images, adding new storylines and recycling thoughts and words into a pot of photo paper. She is exploring themes of delusion in a playful manner – challenging the ´mind´as a compass for life. Adding humour to her work through her left handed (non dominant hand) notebook, where blurbs and epiphanies guide her concepts.
As artists and especially as a darkroom printing photographer Zain finds our experience to be quite isolating at times. During a time where she needed and wanted to expand on her skills in printing, to experiment with light, shadow and paper – Zain knew she would have liked a supporting community around with artists creating beyond her field, understanding and skill-set.
“I picked Boisbuchet knowing I´d have a more total or wholistic experience. Accessibility to a workshop, many workplaces, and staying at a serene and communal space.”
During Zain´s two week residency she took the time to experiment with different techniques she has been wanting to try but did not have the time or resources to do so. She set up a darkroom and spent 3 hrs or so a day experimenting with different methods of printing. Transforming existing images into new images. Layering with clear sheets and text, playing with shapes and cutouts, and staining. Happy with the results Zain saw her prints transform from day 1 to day 9. She was able to produce more abstract images – the objective of her residency.
Zain is now able to work with some of the techniques gained during the time to produce the works she has been meaning to create.