T4 WORKS IN PROGRESS: sealing the cyanotypes

Figure 1. Studio shot of sealed cyanotypes drying, 2026, photograph by artist

Over seven days, from 23 April to 1 May, I focused on sealing all of the cyanotype rice papers so they would be strong enough to handle, glue, stitch, and eventually install. This became another very repetitive and labour-intensive stage of the project. Each sheet needed five coats of PVA glue on the back and four coats of matte varnish on the front, so the process quickly became like a factory production line.

I had to work systematically, moving from one sheet to the next and allowing each layer to dry before applying the next coat. The PVA helped strengthen the fragile rice paper from the back, while the matte varnish protected the cyanotype image on the front. Because the rice paper was so delicate, I had to be careful not to tear, buckle, or oversaturate the surface.

This stage was not visually dramatic, but it was essential to the survival of the work. Without sealing the papers properly, they would not have been strong enough for the next stages.

Figures 2-7. Studio shots of sealed cyanotypes drying, 2026, photograph by artist