“Throughout history, this beautiful and paradoxical island has been a crossroads for the civilizations of classical antiquity. The fertile land has been periodically shattered by the violence of earthquake and volcano, leaving whole villages abandoned. A warm hearted and hospitable people are divided among themselves by the antitheses of catholicism and communism; of republicanism and feudalism. The undercurrents of nepotism and organised criminality are never far beneath the seemingly benign surface.”

Iconostasis, Chrysoroyatissa, Cyprus. 8"x10", new chrysotype print. © Mike Ware. 1993.

We have Dr. Mike Ware to thank for the creation of New Chrysotype, a gold photographic printing process that allows images to be produced in a range of monochromatic and split tone colours. Colours range from pink, red, violet, purple to blue, green, grey and black, with blue/ pink, purple/ blue and brownish/ mushroom colour split tones (amongst other split tones that practitioners have achieved).

Ware developed New Chrysotype over 1984–1994, and named it in honour of Sir John Herschel. For the last four decades, Ware has dedicated his time to the study of the science, history and art of alternative process photography, following an academic career in chemistry. Since then, he has substantially updated the cyanotype, chrysotype, argyrotype, and platino-palladiotype processes. The aim of his investigations has been to simplify and revitalise each technique.

These are now described in over 60 publications, including four books. Mike Ware has consulted for major museums and galleries, exhibited his personal photographic work, lectured, and conducted workshops worldwide. In 1990 he was awarded the Hood Medal of the Royal Photographic Society, and in 2016 received the Special Recognition of the American Institute for Conservation. http://www.mikeware.co.uk