Caroline Blackburn : "These are no ordinary snapshots, freezing a mere passing moment in time, but elaborate supernatural tableaux that take months to create." - Jane Warren (The Express)

 

THE ALCHEMIST

Although there were many real alchemists, including Isaac Newton, they gained a mythic status since they were searching for magical knowledge. Many of the medieval monasteries had practising alchemists trying to summon demons, create a homonculous, convert base metal into gold, and find the philosophers stone. Half-way between magicians and chemists they connect modern science with pre-rational beliefs.
The pursuit of forbidden knowledge continues today in many forms, and the obvious existence of a chemical subculture causes many social anxieties. As a mark of this a set of drug-dealers scales can be seen on the shelves behind him.

 


 

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All images and text Copyright © 2003 Caroline Blackburn.