Obsidian Mirror — Volcanic Glass Reflection Study

Description

Polished from a naturally formed obsidian flow from the Lipari Islands, this disk was photographed in a fully darkened studio with a single, precisely positioned light source to capture both the mirror-surface reflection quality and the internal flow structures within the volcanic glass — the evidence of the silica-rich lava’s original turbulent flow. Obsidian was used as a mirror by Mesoamerican and Anatolian cultures for over 8,000 years, and this photograph honours that deep history while creating a contemporary fine art image of considerable material beauty. The reflection in the surface includes a faint image of the studio environment — a ghost of the contemporary context captured within an ancient geological material.