[The] cinematic image can be thought of as fossilised light,

thus practically and metaphorically equating cinema

with the geological dimensions of the naturally derived

fuels (fossilised sunlight) that continue to enable

industrial society and culture.”

– Nadia Bozak, The Cinematic Footprint

Fossilised Sunshine' is an immersive exhibition

that explores the multifaceted nature of photography

through the intersecting lens’ of Collective Agitation

and London Alternative Photography Collective.

Through a curated collection of documents,

material investigations, recipes, books,

and personal notes, visitors are invited to physically

navigate the realm of photographic alchemy.

Central to this project is a critical investigation

into the intersecting disciplines within photography

and their implications on personal and collective memory.

While not offering definitive solutions,

this project embraces speculative curiosity.

It weaves archival material, alchemic experimentation,

site-specific research, and firsthand experience

in the photographic field.

The exhibition engages with ecological considerations

and the paradoxical relationship between time

and nostalgia inherent in photography.

We question the incessant consumption of images

in our daily lives and the romanticised longing

for the past, while actively researching

and developing alternative techniques

that prioritize ecological sustainability.

Utilising biodegradable and foraged materials

such as rosemary, ox tongue thistles, dandelions,

seaweed, vitamin C, sodium carbonate, coffee,

salt, and water we share photographic developers and fixers that centre ecological sustainability.

Through our interdisciplinary collaboration, we aim to interrogate prevailing practices and narratives in photography.

We acknowledge the transformative power of archiving in shaping our perception of places, people, and time.

By critically examining our own practices and engaging in broader discussions surrounding photography,

we seek to expand our understanding of its impact on collective memory.

We strives to foster a community that embraces alternative approaches,

questions dominant aesthetic conventions, and reimagines the possibilities of photographic practice.

Collective Agitation is an interdisciplinary community of artists and chemists dedicated to researching

and sharing alternative photographic techniques that prioritise ecologically sustainable considerations

and innovations. Our collective brings together individuals with diverse expertise, allowing us to investigate

the intersections of art, chemistry, and ecological relations. Collective Agitation is driven by a passionate

and complex negotiations within photographic practice and the questions that come from deciphering meaning

in a world saturated by images.

London Alternative Photography Collective (LAPC) was founded by Melanie King in 2013,

and has grown from a small group of analogue and alternative photography practitioners

to a collective which produces large-scale symposiums, exhibitions and workshops.

The collective is currently directed by Melanie King and Hannah Fletcher

and supported by project managers; Constanza Isaza Martinez, Katrina Stamatopoulos,

Martha Gray and Diego Valente.

LAPC is an open collective, which anyone can inform and work within. Open to artists who have ideas for projects,

LAPC has always been about promoting the accessibility and creative possibilities of analogue and experimental photography.

We aim to support practitioners who challenge traditional ways of using photography to reflect on contemporary issues

and provide a platform for skill exchange. The premise of the open collective allows a wide range of artists,

photographers, makers, curators and theorists to guide the activities of LAPC in a democratic way, enabling practitioners

to swap ideas, skills and foster collaborations. We also have a specific interest in contemporary art

which revitalises antiquated and forgotten processes, encouraging tutorials and recipes to be shared

so that these processes do not die out with time.