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Studio notes on a camera obscura

November 11, 2021 · by Lois

A portion of a letter is seen with some of the typedd text and a small circular photo of a tree infront of a cloudy sky. The name of the writer, "Brenna" is seen next to the photo.

Earlier this month a beautifully illustrated folded flyer arrived in the mail box. Without adhesives or binding, this piece of mail art could be described as a postcard, a booklet or a structure that mimics, in its unfolding, a visit to Brenna Maag’s home studio in Stó:lō country. Through the piece’s writing and photos, Maag shares her gratitude for the way her place of work integrates outdoor and domestic spaces. Owing to her reading about Indigenous and relational approaches to land, time, and economy, Maag is working on ways of attending to and recognizing the gift exchange with the land using an old technology, camera obscura. Maag writes,

I think this project is relevant because we are constantly being asked for our attention. Our technologies are designed to persuade us to give up our attendion to what is presented in a visual format. This year, during the pandemic, finding solace and respite in the land has been such a gift for me. I learned that when I felt worried or anxious, when I didn’t know how to help my kids, or support my parents, the antidote was being outside. As we have learned this year our relationships are one of the most important things in our lives…”

The pamphlet illustrates a model that Maag is building of a large scale camera that will be mobile, and able to accommodate visitors in groups. Maag also mentions making a “simple paper DIY mini camera obscura that can be mailed and assembled at home.”

More on Brenna Maag’s Camera Obscura is found on this website.

  • There are two colour reproductions of camera obscura images. On the left is an image of white blossoms on a tree branch. On the right is an image of green ferns in the woods. In both images the sun is illuminating the centre, and the centre of the image is in focus while the rest of the image is blurred.
  • A full colour flyer is shown lying on a wooden table. Part of a hand is seen unfolding the flyer to reveal that all sides are printed with text and camera obscura photos.
  • A full clour flyer is seen folded like a tent and placed on a wooden table.

In exchange for this mail art, Brenna Maag was mailed copies of bosque brotante and Feeding the Migration (Painted Lady).

RML Mail Art Brenna Maag, camera obscura, Mail Art, Stó:lō

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