MITAN

For the past decade and a half, photographer Éric Antoine has explored the potential of the wet collodion process, an early method first devised in 1851 by Frederick Scott Archer. Traditionally, a piece of glass is coated with a mixture of soluble iodide and collodion, or cellulose nitrate, and in the darkroom, the addition of silver nitrate transforms into silver iodide before being placed—still wet—inside the camera. (Slight variations of the process also led to the development of ambrotypes and tintypes.) The effect is a dreamy, slightly sepia-tone image with alluring clarity, which Antoine harnesses in landscapes and architectural assemblages. “Through recurring motifs including sculptural still lifes, hazy forests, and elemental forms, Antoine explores the passage of time, memory, and the beauty of constancy,” says the publisher Hemeria, which releases the artist’s new book MITAN next spring.

The title of the volume is derived from an Old French word of the same spelling that means “middle” or “center,” which Antoine has interpreted as an illustration of the midpoint in space and time. His images compel us into this spectrum of distance, simultaneously pulling our attention near and far. “Trees, rivers, and rock formations resonate with energy and bear witness to the passage of time, and glowing circles punctuate forest scenes, both grounding and magical,” says a statement.

MITAN is slated for release next April, and pre-orders are now available from Hemeria. From September 24 to January 31, 2027, Antoine’s work will also be on view at Musée Marmottan Monet in Histoires de paysages. De Monet à Hockney (1890-2026), and he’s currently preparing for a solo exhibition for December at Dolby Chadwick Gallery. See more on the artist’s Instagram. ✧

All images © Éric Antoine, courtesy of Hemeria.