Diapositives

A diapositive is a positive image, exposed on a transparent material – most frequently, on a photographic film or glass plate. It is the primary medium used in polygraphy, which explains why Zamecznik, an expert in printing techniques, often used diapositives in his work. This method enables higher colour saturation and contrast, while the grain remains fine. A diapostive image is thus contrastive and vivid, and effectively of better quality – when colour film is used. Zamecznik’s archive comprises over one thousand diapositives in two formats: medium (6x6 cm) and small (24x36 mm), majority of which have already been ditigized. The themes pictured in them range from studies of objects to family shots. Some frames were used by the artist in his subsequent graphic designs. Some of the most outstanding series are those which reveal Zamecznik’s experiments with colour and show how he applied it in his photographic compositions, as well as those that have thus far been only preserved on black and white prints.