Shutter Hub member Melanie King has been selected as an artist-in residence for The Story of Light Festival in Goa, India. Together with artist and photographer Jaden J A Hastings, as part of the festival she will be attempting to create a world-record setting Cyanotype on one of the city's beaches as well as a body of work, inspired by the Festival’s theme, for exhibition in January 2015.

The Story of Light Festival aims to explore quantum physics and the Universe by the use of Science, Art and Philosophy, and will include workshops, discussions, events and exhibitions. The Cyanotype will be created together with the local community, by having participants lie atop the print and then develop the print together in the salt water of the ocean. The resulting print will be donated to a local arts charity or community centre. The artists say of the venture:

As artists and photographers, our practises both explore humanity’s relationship with the Universe through imagery that considers the source of light, both solar and interstellar in origin, in the production of our work. During the Story of Light Festival, we hope to highlight the use of the sun’s energy, and our material connection to the broader Universe as a source for creativity and inspiration.

The overarching aim of our proposed project is to provide a deeper understanding of the way light energy (electromagnetic radiation) can induce a chemical reaction within photosensitive emulsions to produce works of manmade creativity and imagination. Hopefully, we will inspire others to continue to explore the concepts and techniques we present, building their own body of ‘photopoietic’ art.

The Festival will take place between 14 and 18 January 2015. You can find out more here, and you can support Melanie and Jaden in the record breaking attempt via their crowdfunding appeal, here.