Originally titled People XIV, this work redefines 19th century archival portrait photography through the visible traces of chemical decomposition. The anonymous figure, dating from 1890–1920, emerges through oxidation stains and fractured emulsion, where decay becomes both veil and revelation. Rather than restoring the image to illusionary perfection, Sükan amplifies its deterioration, transforming material damage into aesthetic language. The portrait no longer promises permanence; instead, it exposes photography’s fragile contract with memory, positioning erosion itself as a form of presence.
 
Dis(This) appearance Series. Memory and transformation converge in the latest work of Turkish artist Arslan Sükan. The artist rescued archival photographs from the 19th century (1890-1920), distorted by chemical decomposition, and now available again thanks to preservation and his digital intervision through his  exquisite gaze.. The past has been rediscovered, allowing fragments of it to resonate in the present. Sükan's recovery of these photographs results in a visual resurrection that perpetuates fleeting memories of the past, challenging the fragility of collective memory. The impermanence of life is represented through the tension between deterioration and restoration in these images.
Sükan's work ensures that these forgotten photographs do not disappear into oblivion, but remain alive, preserving public memory and welcoming a shared journey through time. New narratives are forged when past and present merge, with the presence and absence of decay and rebirth coexisting in a delicate balance.
Through his images, the artist ensures that historical moments do not fade into obscurity, but rather endure through a shared experience with the viewer. These photographs become a medium for past lives and stories to intersect with our present consciousness, leading us to reflect on the permanence of memory and its role in shaping our identities.
 
People XIV reimagines 19th century archival portrait photography through the poetics of chemical decay and artistic intervention. A rare opportunity to collect a historical image transformed into contemporary conceptual art. Available at The Art Design Project, Miami Beach.
 
More Sizes and Editions:
Small size: 50 H x 75 W cm. Edition 3 + 1AP 
Large size: 100 H x 130 W cm. Edition 3 + 1AP