Chris van Niekerk

XRAY BOTANICALS

These artworks comprise of a unique combination of multi layered X-ray and digital imagery combined with close-up hand drawings of plant morphology. Archival high-resolution digital print form the basis of each work, making each plant species instantly recognisable. 

However, the attention is drawn to the flower of each plant by composing X-ray images of each plant specific flower on its base print. The flowers are harvested from the plants and scanned on mammogram (used in the medical field to detect breast cancer). The mammogram reveals the finest detail of what is inside the flower (cells, tubes, developing seeds etc.). The information obtained from the mammogram is processed into digital printable format. 

The use of translucent Plexiglas create a light refraction from the first layer all the way through to the base print images. Oversized inverted x-ray images are reverse-printed in charcoal on the final Plexiglas layer, forming subtle ‘ghost’ images and adding yet another aesthetic layer of texture to the work. Detailed plant morphology of roots, bulbs, seeds and flowers are hand drawn in white archival ink on the reverse side of the final Plexiglas layer, thereby fusing a human element into the forms captured by the camera lens. 

The works are framed in dark Mahogany wooden frames.