Alison Rossiter: Compendium 1898–1919

Alison Rossiter’s large-format homage to the sculptural properties of photographic paper

This volume documents 12 paper works made from the earliest expired photographic papers in the collection of New York–based artist Alison Rossiter (born 1953), created in honor of Anna Atkins, the first person to illustrate a book with photographs. The exact expiration dates of these papers pinpoint their location on a timeline and coexist with events in world history.

No matter what the light-sensitive materials have endured through dormant years, they still respond to chemical development, and the resulting photographic tones are evidence of experience. Physical damage, moisture and mold produce tonal changes when developed. This book, a copublication with the New York Public Library and Yossi Milo, includes all 12 works from the series at actual scale, along with close-up details. The reference dates, which cover world events such as World War II, and art historical references such as Picasso’s Blue Period, are included at the back.