Textured, painterly, tactile, high-contrast and comprised of a brilliant Prussian Blue, the cyanotype has captivated artists and viewers alike, drawn to the seductive blues inherent to this photographic process.

Invented in 1841 by scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel, the cyanotype was primarily used as a means of reproducing technical drawings - called blueprints - well into the 20th century until the advent of the photocopier eclipsed this earlier rudimentary technology. Cyanotype was first applied as a photographic-specific practice by botanist Anna Atkins, who used the cameraless photogenic drawing technique to create her botanical images throughout the mid-19^th century.

Little of the technology and application of this early photographic process has changed since its invention almost 180 years ago. The cyanotype is a deceptively simple process which produces a high contrast blue image when exposed to UV or natural light. As this is a negative process, the surface exposed to light becomes varying hues of blue while the areas shielded from exposure remain white. Unlike traditional photographic technology which requires light-tight cameras and darkrooms, the cyanotype is a photographic process that is exposed and developed in the open air in natural light.

Cyanotype is often used by amateur photographers and students when first learning about the photogram technique and photographic processes, and indeed we have worked with cyanotype in our own gallery during Black Box Projects family workshop days. Despite the seeming simplicity of this process, the cyanotype has a hidden complexity and requires a necessary mastery of the medium to create a purposeful, complex final print - especially when used by artists as applied to their contemporary practice.

Moving past pure documentation of form and technical reproductions, artists have utalised the cyanotype process to create unique works of art that are infused with layered meaning and an ethereal quality.

Into The Blue - The Cyanotype in Contemporary Photography explores six artists working internationally who have harnessed the cyanotype process and pushed this early photographic technology to new and exciting heights.