Prototyper_smokedrawings — Morten

Prototyper

Place: Gallery Knowhere, Rønne, Kisserup. DK
Type: experimental process
Date: ongoing

Prototyper
In Prototyper, two canvases are placed face-to-face — or a sheet of paper is folded — allowing the smoke to form mirrored impressions as it moves between the layers. At each fold and cross-section, small portions of smoke powder—typically blue, yellow or red—are positioned and ignited. The pyrotechnic powders I use are relatively harmless, making them well-suited for workshops where I have refined and developed this technique.

The resulting patterns depend not only on the combustion itself, but also on how tightly the surfaces are pressed together and how large the opening between them is. This spacing expands or contracts the visual “gap,” shaping how the smoke travels, mixes and settles across the mirrored fields.

Blue and yellow smoke blend into green, while longer burns produce darker, gray soot markings. The technique also responds strongly to its surroundings: in a still indoor environment, the smoke creates more defined and contained formations, while outdoor conditions—especially wind from the side—produce looser, more open and drifting patterns.

Developed through extensive experimentation and workshop-based testing, this method balances meticulous setup with unpredictability, shaping each work into a unique atmospheric imprint where control, chance and mirrored surfaces converge.

Permenent wallpieces at Kisserupkrat 2024