For the first exhibition at Gallery Louise Linthout from May 31 to June 29, photographers Eddy Verloes, Frédéric Materne and Cécile Libert have opted for gum bichromate prints.

The gum bichromate process is a mid 19th-century photographic printing technique valued for its painterly and artistic qualities. It involves coating paper with a light-sensitive mixture of gum arabic, a dichromate (typically potassium or ammonium), and a pigment of choice. Once dried, the coated paper is contact-printed with a negative and exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. The light hardens the gum in proportion to the image's tonal values, creating a textured, multi-layered effect.

After exposure, the print is developed by washing in water, where unhardened areas dissolve, leaving behind a unique image. This process allows for creative control over colors, textures, and layers, making it popular among artists and photographers for its expressive potential.