{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O84254"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84254/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O84254","accessionNumber":"E.499-1998","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Observer & Observed No. 12","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Susan Derges (born Britain, 1955) trained as a painter and is concerned with the creative interface between art and science. A period of living and studying in Japan led Derges to adopt photography as her principal means of expression. Her images are often formed as photograms directly onto positive photographic paper. \r\n\r\n'Observer & Observed' is created by vibrating a jet of water and photographing this with a strobe light. The jet of water is recorded as droplets, each acting as a lens, capturing a distorted image of Derges' face, positioned behind the water jet.  \r\n\r\nThe gelatin-silver process, developed in the 1870s, is the most common means of making black and white prints from negatives. The prints are made on papers coated with a layer of gelatin containing light sensitive silver salts. By 1895 gelatin-silver prints had generally replaced albumen prints because they were more stable, did not turn yellow and were simpler to produce.","physicalDescription":"Self portrait by Susan Derges. Derges is visible yet out of focus in the background of the photograph.  Her image is captured in multiple in the droplets of water that have been shot into the air.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Derges, Susan","id":"A1717"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"gelatin silver process","id":"AAT139114"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gelatin-silver print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Science","id":"THES48898"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES317367"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1992","earliest":"1992-01-01","latest":"1992-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Hue-Williams and Susan Derges","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"50.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"print","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"41","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"print","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"70.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"60.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"E 2/3","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"English","medium":"ink","method":"handwriting","position":"On reverse","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"English; On reverse; handwriting; ink"}],"objectHistory":"Photograph taken by Susan Derges","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Derges, Susan. 'Observer & Observed', 1991. Gelatin-silver print","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"self-portraits","id":"AAT124534"},{"text":"water","id":"AAT11772"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.499-1998"],"accessionNumberNum":"499","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1998,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"No. 2 of 3","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-09-15","availableToBook":true}}