Corroded Image: Image Reproduction

Experiments

Digital Modeling, 2024

Before embarking on the Image Scavenger project based on research into Dutch-Indonesian colonial furniture (Ebony Furniture), I conducted visual experiments. My focus during the research was on the loss of detail and distorted silhouettes that occurred during the process of image duplication.

Ebony furniture thrived within the VOC for nearly three centuries, largely due to the material's rarity and its role as a key commodity in the colonial trade. However, because ebony was scarce, not all furniture could be made from it, leading the Dutch to emphasize its black color instead. Additionally, as colonial furniture from the 17th century was produced in limited quantities and not widely distributed, the focus shifted from replicating precise details to copying silhouettes.

With these key influences in mind, I sampled well-known furniture designs, stripping them to their structural bones. The visual experiment aimed to recreate their silhouettes while maintaining only minimal functional qualities, centered around the dominant black color of ebony.