Cara Pilbeam

Through the medium of photography and a technical process involving the narrowing of depth of field, my practice explores materiality and conducts a forensic investigation into the interactions between materials of different viscosities. This exploration is driven by a fascination with the unlikely visual connections that emerge in a material’s colour, shape, or viscosity.

My work details the bending of light as defined by its amorphous container, capturing the unique interactions between substances. It largely revolves around revealing and magnifying the hidden, making the intangible tangible. I have uncovered the sumptuous hidden worlds inside everyday materials. By magnifying unassuming substances such as honey, leaves, syrup, and disinfectant, I create otherworldly digital paintings that immerse the viewer in a wash of amber light.

My work aims to elicit a perceptual experience and encourages an alternative categorisation of the material world around us, prompting a shift in our way of thinking.