Susan Derges (b. 1955) is a renowned British photographer celebrated for her pioneering camera-less photographic techniques. Her work often involves direct interaction with the natural environment, capturing elemental processes through photograms and other experimental methods. Rather than using a conventional camera, Derges submerges light-sensitive paper in rivers, streams, or tidal waters, allowing the flow of water, natural light, and organic materials to create ethereal, luminous images. Her approach blurs the boundary between subject and medium, transforming nature into both the artist and the artwork.
After studying painting at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Slade School of Fine Art, Derges transitioned to photography, seeking to bridge the gap between artistic expression and scientific observation. Her early experiments with sound-generated images and photograms evolved into her signature practice of engaging directly with the landscape. Works such as her River Taw and Full Circle series exemplify her fascination with the cycles of nature, capturing the movement of water, the reflection of the moon, and the delicate interplay of light and shadow.
Derges’s process involves immersing large sheets of photographic paper in water during the night, often exposing them using ambient moonlight or controlled flashes. This technique captures the water's currents, leaves, and sediment in striking detail, producing an intimate and tactile representation of the natural world. Her work is deeply influenced by themes of transformation, renewal, and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Throughout her career, Derges has exhibited internationally, with her photographs held in prestigious collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Her contribution to contemporary photography has earned her critical acclaim, positioning her as a leading figure in the exploration of the photographic medium's material and conceptual possibilities.
Through her evocative images, Susan Derges invites viewers to contemplate the rhythms of nature and our own relationship to the environment, offering a profound meditation on the fleeting and eternal forces that shape our world.