Download PDF - David Fried

“The inspirational kick for my “Rainscape” works came in April 1995 on the island of La Palma. Events there
led to an ongoing series of non-digital large-format photographs of pure falling rain. Some look like millions
of colorful galaxies painted on a night sky, while other images captured against cloudy dusk skies, appear
more terrestrial.
The story goes: I was staying at a rented hut by a farmer family doing watercolors. They told me it hadn’t
rained a drop in over one and a half years on the west side of the Island where we were. One day I bicycled
up the 2400 meter volcano through the clouds, getting wet by them at 2000 meters, and I instantly felt
rejuvenated. Later that night at a big local outdoor Fiesta, I began a spontaneous 6 hour rain dance – yeah,
the live 17 piece band was incredible too! The 150 or so town folk and farmers thought I was totally nuts,
but the kids really had fun joining in. The next day it actually did rain and the following night, all the farmers
in the area brought me fruit and homemade wine in sincere thanks and wonder.
Weather is something that throughout the ages, humans have wished to influence and control by means
of prayer and ritual, or by way of science and its methods. In 2003 there was a record drought in normally
overcast Germany where I stay, and it was then that I began to document every night-time rainfall possible
with an elaborate technique, which includes 8x10” film and up to 20,000 watts of flash. This is because my
subject matter is essentially transparent and wants to stay that way!“ - DF
Rainscape, No.35
2004, Archival chromogenic print, dibond,
plexi, diasec UV silicone, aluminum
20 x 24 inches / 50 x 60 cm, edition 10
Courtesy of artist