Time is frozen in Isabel M. Martínez’ series, The Way of the Ghost, as paths of dimension and perspective are etched into tampered light negatives through successive photographic interventions. Martínez’s hand is evident in these works, resisting digital crispness to make way for electric moments using light as a medium to draw with. The series explores forms of inquiry through ambiguity and chance, blending imaginary and hallucinatory aesthetics that tie into scientific studies or creativity. 

More broadly, Martínez’s practice concerns the shaping of time and space on perception, often making optically-engaging lenticular collages that buzz with dualistic friction. This rhythm is evident in The Way of the Ghost through repetition of paths and symbols. This series can be visualized as walking gaits, or heartbeats, or gravity waves; a reminder of the reciprocal impacts between the world and our actions. 

Image credit: Isabel M. Martínez, The Making or Being Of #1 and #6 (from The Way of the Ghost), 2022. Image courtesy the artist.