Compared to other artistic media, photography is far more capable of time travel. Its ability to capture our past with such astonishing immediacy is unique, serving as more representational portraits of historic lifestyles. This is why Garry Pycroft is drawn to the medium, and also why he feels compelled to reinvent it.
Since 2020, the British digital artist has amassed a remarkable collection of old postcards dating back to the early 1900s. These postcards depict an array of environments, whether it be a public square with an impressive fountain in Dijon, France, or a bustling street in a French coastal town. Though Pycroft has traveled to and collected postcards from Austria, Switzerland, Canada, and Hungary, among other countries, much of his collection focuses on small towns in France, given that he lives near the French Alps.
“Many people here collect postcards of their hometown, but for me, when I look at them, I’m unable to connect with the people I see,” Pycroft tells My Modern Met. “The cards are primarily sepia and of course that’s not how we see life.”
As artifacts, these postcards do offer an indelible glimpse into 20th-century urban landscapes, but, in his practice, Pycroft also entertains how the past has not only evolved but continues to impact the present. Throughout the past five years, the artist has created over 1,000 “hyperlong exposure” photographs, merging old postcards with his own contemporary images of the same location.
“I love the whole process, from finding old photographs or postcards, identifying the location, photographing on location, and finally merging the two images,” Pycroft says.
The results are often seamless: black-and-white buildings gradually melt into color; vintage automobiles mingle with modern cars; people donning masks during the COVID-19 pandemic stare out upon those pulling wagons on a cobbled street. In a single image, the past and the present converge, showcasing how the “location itself may have changed little” whereas “our lifestyle has changed significantly.”
“When I add the image of today and incorporate the colors that we see, the door [to the past] is open,” Pycroft adds. “It’s almost like I’m giving these people a second life.”
To learn more about the artist, visit Garry Pycroft’s website.
Since 2020, Garry Pycroft has collected vintage postcards and combined them with his own contemporary photographs of the same location.
These “hyperlong exposure” photographs unveil both the similarities and differences between past and present.
“When I add the image of today and incorporate the colors that we see, the door [to the past] is open,” Pycroft says. “It’s almost like I’m giving these people a second life.”
Garry Pycroft: Website | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Garry Pycroft.
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