Not long ago, paper made of elephant dung hit the headlines. This eco-friendly product is now used for various creations from cards to wrapping paper and picture frames, just to name a few. Now comes another novel idea - using elephant dung paper to print photographs.
Sheahan Wijayaratna, the brains behind this venture after testing out the idea, unveiled his creations at an exhibition of photography, held last month at the Lionel Wendt Gallery. Along with a friend Suren Senewiratne, the duo displayed a collection of their photographs that had been reproduced on eco-friendly, re-cycled elephant dung and tree fibre material.
“It’s not traditional and it is a difficult medium to work with,” said Sheahan adding that he needed to use his knowledge and skills in photography to work out the best way in which this could be done. As with all recycled materials, elephant dung too disintegrates when it comes in contact with liquid, therefore extreme care must be taken throughout the printing process and right up to mounting and framing the photographs.
Observing the photographs at the exhibition, it was clear to see how the use of this medium did enhance the quality of the picture – especially in terms of wildlife photography and ancient rock carvings like those of the famous Isurumuniya Lovers. The grainy effect of the paper is what contributes to the final effect, giving it a sort of a retro 60’s feel - an interesting change from traditional photo printing. |
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