Drowning Street I, 2024
Drowning Street I is a sequence of six photograms (blueprints), which are the result of an exercise in water doodling. In May 2024, I embarked on a methodic investigation of what it would mean to create weak images while underway on a vessel sailing to the United Kingdom. The purpose was to make tangible how nearby England is, even though this country has become increasingly inaccessible to us, its overseas neighbors. Our respective coasts share the sea tides. The sea water flows in and out of the narrow passage that is the Strait of Dover in similar ranges on each shoreline. Until 1994, the UKHO released charts marking these co-tidal and co-range movements of the North Sea waters.
On May 18, 2024, we took on board what was allowed, which was not much: no dogs, no persons on the move, no harddrugs (our vessel was inspected upon arrival in Ramsgate!), … As a result, we only took handpicked wildflowers with us from the Belgian coast, and luckily these were not confiscated by the British Border Police. I gleaned a new load of flowers during a pouring rain shower in London at the very moment that then UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was announcing general elections to be held on July 4, 2024 – infamously ruining his tailored suit while doing so. Having organized a floating darkroom aboard our vessel, I created the work Drowning Street I while sailing to and from London in just one week. In retrospect, we may understand these cyanotypes as traces of the performative work of art that consisted in this wind-driven roundtrip to London in such a short amount of time.
Kromme Hoek, Nieuwpoort, Belgium, May 18, 2024 Photographs by Hilde Van Gelder, documenting the production of her performative work Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van GelderKromme Hoek, Nieuwpoort, Belgium, May 18, 2024 Photographs by Hilde Van Gelder, documenting the production of her performative work Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van Gelder
Wildflowers picked in Nieuwpoort, underway sailing to Dunkirk, May 18, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van Gelder
Cyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Dunkirk Harbor. May 18, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van GelderCyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Dunkirk Harbor. May 18, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van GelderHilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (1) - Dunkirk, 18.05.2024, 39,9 x 23,4 cm. Eau de Dunkerque. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van GelderHilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (1) - Dunkirk, 18.05.2024, 39,9 x 23,4 cm. Eau de Dunkerque. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van GelderCyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Ramsgate Harbor. May 19, 2024 © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Cyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Ramsgate Harbor. May 19, 2024 © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (2) – Ramsgate, 19.05.2024, 39,9 x 26,25 cm. Eau de Ramsgate. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van Gelder
Cyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Queenborough Harbor.
May 20, 2024 © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderCyanotype with wildflowers from Nieuwpoort, exposed at sunset in Queenborough Harbor.
May 20, 2024 © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (3) - Queenborough, 20.05.2024, 39,9 x 23,9 cm. Eau de Swale. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Prime Meridian (22/05/2024). Digital production photograph for Drowning Street I, multi-medial work, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van GelderMay 22, 2024: UK Prime Minister announcing general elections to be held on July 4, 2024. © Photo: Geoff PughLondon, May 22, 2024. Wildflowers picked in and near the public garden of Greenwich Observatory. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderCyanotype with wildflowers from London, exposed at sunset in Queenborough Harbor. May 23, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Cyanotype with wildflowers from London, Developed onboard in Queenborough Harbor. May 23, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderCyanotype with wildflowers from London, Developed onboard in Queenborough Harbor. May 23, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (4) - Queenborough, 23.05.2024, 39,9 x 25,7 cm. Eau de Londres. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van Gelder
Red Valerian growing wild in Ramsgate Harbor, May 25, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderRed Valerian growing wild in Ramsgate Harbor, May 25, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderAll wildflowers joined together for the crossing back to the Continent. May 25, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderAll wildflowers joined together for the crossing back to the Continent. May 25, 2024. © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (5) - Out Ruytingen, 25.05.2024, 40,9 x 19,3 cm. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Eau de Londres. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van Gelder
Nieuwpoort Harbor, May 26, 2024. All flowers exposed together. © Photographs: Hilde Van GelderNieuwpoort Harbor, May 26, 2024. All flowers exposed together. © Photographs: Hilde Van Gelder
Hilde Van Gelder, Drowning Street I (6) - Nieuwpoort, 26.05.2024, 40,9 x 19,6 cm. Sequence of six cyanotypes, various types of paper sheets (all hand-cut), variable dimensions. Eau de Nieuport. Part of Drowning Street I, 2024. © Photo: Hilde Van Gelder