Juliana Gagne

Juliana Gagné is an interdisciplinary artist and writer with an MFA from OCADU (2026 Interdisciplinary Art, Media and Design) and a BFA from Parsons School of Design (2018 Fine Arts). Juliana explores the experimental boundaries of ancient and analogue photography techniques and often mixes media. They are inspired by the philosophy of Vilém Flusser (1920-1991) who observed that, "Our thoughts, feelings, desires and actions are being robotized...So where is there room for human freedom?” Flusser posits that the only true artistic freedom is the refusal of the apparatus, Juliana thus destroys disposable cameras and flings/pours individual cyanotypes chemicals to explore the freedom of pure abstraction. The 35mm disposable cameras are often stabbed, left in the elements and dunked in natural water sources during shooting, and once the roll is complete the entire disposable camera is then dunked in a "film soup" solution (Gagné method) which often contains locally produced alcohol, local soda/beverages, crushed medicine, spices and cleaning detergents. The camera is then rinsed before being frozen from 1-7 days to force the changing of state on the water molecules within the camera, this reflects the connection between photography and death. Once the camera is frozen it is then thawed before developing, the images are never edited. The cyanotypes are a new take on an ancient photographic practice, and often create palimpsestic images through multiple exposures and exposure to storms. They reference pioneering scientist and feminist Anna Atkins work and seek to explore the materiality and play with the cyanotype chemicals.