Paul Caffell

Envelopes

Since the 1970s Caffell has also developed a photographic practice. His 'envelopes' - made with the unique platinum printing process - explore the almost abstract, sculptural properties of simple, easily discarded objects, actually containers for photographic film and printing paper - through their tonal range. In this sense these photographs are profoundly modernist, in their self-reference to the process of the production of the image, and beautiful, abstract works far removed from the 'realism' of photography. As near-monochromes there is also a clear articulation between the photographs and Caffell's paintings: both demand the same attention to subtle shifts of abstracted form and tone.

© Chris Townsend