You Are Eternity, You Are The Mirror

"The intimate size of the book, the personal nature of the writings by Gibran, the direct touch of Palmer in creating these images – all combine to create an object d’art worth treasuring, keeping and cherishing." – F-stop magazine

You Are Eternity, You Are the Mirror is an exploration of beauty as an antidote to personal and political crisis. In times of heartache, disaster, and impasse, many turn to beauty found in the natural world for solace and refuge. Pairing these images with the writings of Kahlil Gibran underscores the significance and multiplicity of the notion of beauty in our lives.

These images are made from plants and flowers, which are photographed, printed on vellum, and hand-applied with 24k gold leaf, varnish, and wax. The photobook will have vellum overlays, gold metallic ink, and japanese folded pages with gold interiors. The project is inspired by Anna Atkins’s botanical studies as well as surrealist photographers like Florence Henri and Maurice Tabard, who manipulated imagery and materials to create multi-faceted, imagined spaces that deepened the viewer’s experience.