BEST Prismagraphy Portraits ╳ 19TONES. PART I

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In 2018, 19TONES created the term Prismagraphy for photographs taken with physical prism when he got a successful neon portrait using this technique. Prismagraphy is based on the refraction of light, the Newton’s theory of light when a beam of white light passing through two prisms, which were held at such an angle that it split into a spectrum when passing through the first prism and was recomposed, back into white light, by the second prism. In this way, you can get extra dimensions in photography with a completely analog approach that makes each photo so unique. Shot live with no CGI.

Inspired by neon & futuristic aesthetics, Prismagraphy transgresses "the boundaries between the imaginary and real", toying with audience perception.

Over a period of 5 years I have had a very enriching interaction with audience through "prismagraphy". I was involved in both commercial and creative projects, which include entire series as well as individual frames. I tried to describe some of the projects below through videos and texts. Hope you'll enjoy it!

It's hard to believe that I took the first experiments on refraction of light around 5 years ago. It was an ordinary street in Moscow. This actually where most of my images are made. Despite the fact I have a lot of night portraits, the first experiment was taken in the daylight.

I was never in a hurry just to talk to audience about prismagraphy because I tried to understand what prismagraphy is for me, why I do it and for what purpose. However, I kept experimenting, I was looking for new forms in photography. Once I took photos of portraits with neon signs at night, and it was amazing.

In 2017 and 2018, I started to integrate prismagraphy into series of photographs working with brands & public figures.

Commission for LEVI`S ╳ POKRAS LAMPAS

" 50th ANNIVERSARY of TRUCKER TYPE III DENIM JACKET " \ 2 0 1 7 .

Here is the full project

Photography of

FELIPPE PANTONE for HYPEBEAST.

" DATA FALL " Sculpture in Moscow Atrium \ 2 0 1 8 .

Here is the full project.

"MADE FOR"

BULLEIT ╳ 19TONES

/ / September, 2018

In 2018 I partnered with a “Made For” platform by Bulleit. I do love the result of our collaboration despite the fact it was a commission series. I really appreciate such a kind of projects like this one because working together is another one opportunity to expand the boundaries of your art, communicate with more people around you and express yourself. In similar projects, you always do the kind of work that no one virtually will do because of people don’t get enough sufficient resources and weighty reasons. Besides, you’re kinda in over your head and you know it. Your experiments in photography bring you bigger options to share your thoughts, statements and stories with loads of people.

In this project, we transferred images onto 100-by-150cm aluminium canvases. It’s a transition from the digital environment to the physical world. This was my first solo exhibition show of photographs. All the images were limited to 2 copies.

SOLO EXHIBITION by Pokras Lampas

in Moscow Manege

In September the same year, I became a participant of the first solo exhibition show by Pokras Lampas in Moscow Manege. In collaboration with the artist, we transferred three portraits onto 100-by-150cm aluminium canvases. The artist painted my photographs in his unique manner "calligraffiti" (calligrafuturism/calligraphy).

After that, I decided to create something with the artist's art through prismagraphy at the exhibition.

There was a concrete canvas which include his calligraphy art and a neon sign "Never Say Never". The circular neon sign “Never Say Never" was fixed to the canvas, the canvas was located on the right side of a camera.

"NITE JOGGER"

adidas Originals ╳ 19TONES

/ / January, 2019

In January 2019, I partnered with adidas Originals. I created a reflection story based on experiments on 'prismagraphy' for FW19 Nite Jogger campaign. The series was inspired by reflective materials of the “Nite Jogger” silhouette and night time creators.

We transferred photos onto aluminium canvases in size of 100 ╳ 150cm. Each of them is printed in a single copy; each of them —— one layer, not photoshopped, taken during the process of shooting. Also, we had an event where we represented those works.

I kept experimenting on refraction of light

Screen recording during the process of shooting

Music: Setec – Water or Concrete

Screen recording during the process of shooting

Music: Bbizzy – Besame

19TONES ╳ L-Bank:

Triptych "DĪSPĘRSĪØN (øptics)" \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 2 0 1 9 .

In April 2019, I collaborated with a contemporary digital artist Rinatto as known as L-Bank.

Description:

In collaboration w/ @LBank_ I want to draw the viewers’s attention to the difference between the perception of our image editing approaches: analog and digital one. I used the triangular prisms in creating of neon portraits. This's an analog technique. And after that, Rinatto simulated water texture through multi-faceted prisms in digital space.

In both cases there are striking similarities and differences, the both of us consider the refraction of light but in different spaces.

Analog technique.
Photographs, obtained through physical triangular prisms, are the basis of our work. They reproduce additional visual properties of objects and surfaces, textures.

Digital approach.
Then we simulated water texture through multi-faceted prisms & tried to make the dispersion effect and the effect of the light reflection better using modern instruments in digital space.

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The comparison between our techniques (analog and digital ones) induces dualism based on the view/concept that photographs consist of these methods which co-exist together.

Whether they compliment each other like the yin and yang or they are the conflict between good and evil -- it’s the moment everyone can choose.

Each viewer can see how difficult all the details of this TRIPTYCH “DĪSPĘRSĪØN (øptics)” are, the non-trivial structure on all given scales and the randomness of visual patterns.

A few more experiments I did in 2019

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING

ALL THE 5 YEARS of PRISMAGRAPHY

I'd really like to thank everyone for being supportive over the past 5 years, all who encouraged the kind of portrait photography called "prismagraphy", all who given me their support. I really appreciate all of you! I hope that all of us will keep experimenting and exploring. There's no boundaries in art.