Frank Lopez, Unaccompanied, by Oneself..., From the artists collection Manifestation of light and energy, 2025, 1/1, Chromatic Halide-Lift Silver Gelatin Print, Archival Cold Mounted on Arches Aquarelle Acid Free Paper, 10 × 12.75 inches, $2,500
This project is named Manifesta)on of Light and Energy and is an expression of my beliefs in Buddhism. From the caves of Lascaux to digital icons, humans have delved into meaning through gestural drawings, symbols, and forms. As with Buddhist principles, I interpret the growth of self in an arc of life—from the recurrence of life, birth, and community, to isolation, death, and rejuvenation. The analogy of abstract patterns opens the viewer to personal interpretations while allowing the interactions of chemical reactions upon expired silver gelatin paper to produce an ethereal experience that mirrors the emotional unfolding of memory itself—fragmented, sometimes elusive, but certainly evocative.
The meditative and interpretive practice of the Chromoskedasic process (simply named Chromo) is a rhythmic response to the natural state of imperfection. Specifically, it is my way of shifting the act of seeing into subjects that are interpretations of light, time, energy, and my conscious and unconscious awareness. As a lifelong educator, I am tasked with the question, “Is it done?” Turning to the mentor-apprentice relationship, I seek to impart wisdom that has been acquired through countless tribulations. A single image can take hours or days and dozens of attempts until the art breathes on its own. It is through this meditative breathing tradition that the acceptance of natural imperfection is reflected in nature and self, revealing that the language of abstraction is truly a global human practice. Through this performance, I not only develop my own craft but also extend that knowledge to others, reinforcing the idea that art is both a personal and collective practice. Artistic growth becomes intertwined with my role as a mentor, emphasizing that both creation and teaching are cyclical processes.
Utilizing Chromo is an exercise in slow meditation and breathing as I lift silver halides to the surface of the silver gelatin paper, whereas they normally sit far below the paper surface in a standard black-and-white print. Chemical agents arrest development, allowing me to craft the image slowly (and in daylight) with additional developing agents and historic toners. Working with prints for over an hour, each image is sketched and morphed with chemicals, light, and process to provide an experience or trigger an emotional response or a lost memory, creating a larger dialogue with the viewer’s subconscious. —Frank Lopez.
Lopez is a visual artist specializing in 19th- to 21st-century photographic integration. Frank has instructed at the university, secondary, and professional workshop levels since 1990 and is a frequent lecturer based on experimental and cultural imagery. Frank leads the international award-winning, issues-based photography program at Greenhill School that integrates 19th- to 21st-century techniques and is also a Faculty Leader, the highest faculty award. In 2020, Frank was awarded the Center Santa Fe Callanan Award for Photographic Teaching Excellence. Furthermore, he won the Dallas Observer MasterMind Award in 2011, recognizing artists making a significant cultural contribution to the City of Dallas.
