Kyle Camper

Based in Richmond, Virginia, Kyle Camper is an alter- native process artist working with expired photographic materials. Utilizing the chemigram process, he works to uncover the limits and possibilities of photographic materials new and old by breaking them down to their fundamental elements and stretching them as far as possible. Being mostly process based, his work aims to show the viewer how it was created, and to expand the way photographic materials are talked about and used. What was once a process that yielded “random” results, Kyle and those around him are discovering more how to control every element to get the desired result. Studying at VCU, he was able to focus solely on the furtherment and discovery of this process, without a heavy conceptual framework. Having the ability to make first and think second, the work takes wild turns often, almost always bringing about new discovery.

His influence comes from his early photographic educa- tion and the fascination with the basic materials. In a pro- cess with so many unknowns, he is gradually discovering more about the process and materials with each session in the darkroom. In their final form, the work makes viewers question what exactly it is they’re looking at. Falling somewhere between photographic and painterly, each piece lives as a unique object with indescribable material qualities.

@camperkyle www.camperkyle.com

Kyle Camper

Do you think it’s important or useful to pay attention to what people say about your work?

Absolutely. Without the critique of my colleagues and viewers of my work, it would have never advanced to the place it’s in today. Many of the conversations I have about this process, both with people educated on it and not, help shape the way I view my practice and the work that comes from it.

What do you do when you’re creatively stuck?

I let myself be stuck, for a while at least. I have yet to come across a creative rut that time couldn’t get me out of. My innate desire is to create, my brain is always thinking about what’s next. Oftentimes it gets stuck, but the ideas always naturally return as long as I do not force them.

What are the qualities or skills that make you good at what you do?

My whole life, my Dad has told me to find the few things I truly enjoy, and become really good at them. Not only have I found that satisfaction with the chemigram process, but also in wide format printing. My goal the past few years has been to get as good at doing those two things as I possibly can. My work is an indicator of where I am on that journey, and I look forward to constant improvement in the future.