The Royal Academy of Fine Arts - Ghent, Belgium

I was invited to do a Wet Plate Collodion Perfomative Lecture at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium.

Thanks to Willem Vermoere, Saartje Van de Steene and Thomas Weynants the turnout was great. I would guess there were 50 or 60 people in the auditorium.

The space was wonderful. An old lecture area that was used to dissect cadavers in 80 or 90 years ago. The students could sit and watch the professors/doctors slice and cut without obstruction.

I wasn't cutting bodies up, however, I was dissecting the concept of photography and questioning what it is today and why we shoud care about definition and intent.

There were three sections of seating in the lecture hall. It felt like I was praying the whole time. Looking up, scanning the audience and looking toward the heavens. It was cool.

Willem took us on a tour of the facilities. It was impressive. Beautiful spaces, studios and WET darkrooms. Yes, WET darkrooms. God bless you!

I asked what it costs for a student attend - he said about 600 Euros a year! America needs to wake up. I'm from a country that can afford to educate their people, provide medical attention and we do neither without charging exorbitant fees and/or creating lifelong debt. It's sad. It seems that the powers that be are out to create classes - keep the people that can't afford education in the dark, ignorant and afraid. And when they get sick, let them die. Again, it's sad.

As an American in Europe, I can see we have a lot to learn about all of this. Call it whatever you want to - education and health care should be available to everyone. I mean everyone!

Ghent is a beautiful city full of very friendly people. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we are winding down now and had to get back to Germany to attend to other obligations.

Thanks to Saartje for the photos! If I can get someone to send me some photos or videos of the plates I made that afternoon, I'll post them.

Quinn preaching to the crowd. They are actually looking at my slide show.

The slide show - it was much bigger than it looks - my dark box, lights, etc. all there, too.

There were three sections of seating - mostly all full - a great crowd. That's Thomas on the right.

Jeanne cleaning the plates - the best assistant you could ever ask for. We have fun doing these!

Making the exposure of Erick - this was a very nice plate - 8x8 Black Glass Ambrotype.