CASE STUDY: IMAGINATION SALON PORTRAIT STUDIO
Curiosity & Co. / Imagine Co. · Participatory Portrait Installation (2024)
A collaborative portrait experience exploring shared authority, self-determination, and medium format self-portraiture.
THE COMMISSION
Commissioned for the Imagination Salon, this installation was designed to test the boundaries of directorial control. The challenge was to move participants from passive subjects into active co-creators, demystifying professional studio equipment while building an atmosphere of uninhibited play.
FIELDWORK & DIRECTORIAL METHOD
The activation was executed in two distinct phases. Phase One used instant analog prints to establish immediate rapport and comfort. In Phase Two, participants stepped into a formal studio setup featuring a Mamiya RZ67 mounted on a heavy studio stand, holding an air-bulb mechanical cable release. Guided on framing and sightlines, subjects triggered their own shutter exposures. By surrendering the physical release to the subject, the directorial dynamic shifted—yielding portraits marked by rare self-possession and psychological ease.
SPECS & PRODUCTION SCOPE
Scope: Participatory studio installation & collaborative workshop
Environment: Salon gallery space
Format: Medium format analog film (Mamiya RZ67) & instant analog emulsion
Output: Instant participant prints, subject-triggered B&W film negatives, and process documentation
