Cadillac Motel

Cadillac Motel is a photograph I made for the New Quarterly Magazine Some time around 1998, I forget the exact date. It was commissioned for a Valentines day event. I wanted to create something gritty and raw as opposed to something cute and sweet as would be typical for Valentines. To achieve this I used this pinhole camera and Polaroid positive/negative film. For those unfamiliar this kind of film, it is a Polaroid film that fits into a special 4x5 inch holder. After exposure its developed much like other Polaroid film by pulling it through a set of rollers. The difference is that when it's done you get a negative as well as a positive. The negative is then fixed in sodium sulfite, washed, dried and then can be enlarged.

Nicholas Rees made this camera for me. I had this 4x5 back from a no longer usable camera and asked if he could make a box with this back mounted to it and a pinhole in the other end. Nick being the brilliant artist that he is created this beautiful pinhole camera.

This is the only print from that negative. The negative is lost so no more prints can be made. This unique print is for sale at the Uptown Gallery in Waterloo. Drop by to see it in person.