Flood State

“I compose directly on polymer photogravure plates, layering small toys and commonplace objects on the light-sensitive surface to create imagined scenes,” Shaw explains. “The exposed plates are printed on Japanese kozo paper, for an ephemeral effect that complements their fluid subject matter.” Photogravure is a 19th-century intaglio (engraving) printmaking process. Historically, images were etched onto copper plates using light and acid.  Today’s process uses readymade polymer plates that are exposed to light and washed with water. In both processes, ink is applied to the etched plate and worked in with cheesecloth, then transferred to paper using a large printing press. 

The resulting images feature figures suspended underwater, boats drifting, or birds perched on floating objects; each scene reflects the daily uncertainty that underlies our sense of safety and comfort. More than serving as an individual artistic expression, the 45 prints in Flood State capture a shared emotional reality, offering a poetic reflection on lives shaped by water, weather, and vulnerability.