Blue Plate Special — Youvalle Levy

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Blue Plate Special

"Blue Plate Special" (BPS) – a photographic series that is printed on handcrafted ceramic plates, using Cyanotype technique and accented with silver-coated rims.

The plates are produced in a limited edition of 6+ap, with each plate being unique due to the long process of making them. The process begins with taking the photographs, mainly on 35mm film, which are then transformed into 1:1 negatives. These images are delicately printed onto the Bisque ware plates using the intricate cyanotype method. This process ensures that each plate becomes unique for a distinct interplay of variables, ranging from the subtle idiosyncrasies of the ceramic surface to nuanced factors like exposure duration and chemical mix.

In 2021 Levy started taking photographs of food; Her subjects ranged from dishes found in restaurants, home-cooked meals, fresh produce from local markets, pastries, and even the bounties of her own garden. Infused with personal narratives, each photograph resonates with memories of gatherings with loved ones or just simple breakfast. By immortalising these snapshots on ceramic plates, Levy elevates the significance of these instances, creating souvenirs-like items from day-to-day events.

The distinct Prussian Blue hues, of the cyanotype printing on ceramics, corresponds with traditional Chinese porcelain ware or “fine china”, which are common collectable items that usually depicts beautiful nature scenes. A nuance surfaces as Levy's photographes of pizza slices or English breakfasts against this backdrop of refined blue ceramics, creating an interplay of contrasts that adds a bit of humour to the photographic series.

The name Blue Plate Special draws from the Diners in North America where the term 'Blue Plate Special' means Today's Special or Dish of the Day.

The BPS installation is a site-specific exhibition featuring six plates arranged on a dining table with a white tablecloth and silverware. Additionally, four plates are displayed on the wall, and two plates are positioned on two plinths. Each of the twelve has a unique print.

BPS launched in a group exhibition in Berlin, Germany called SUPERIOR COMFORT. The exhibition was set in a hotel room using the room as a gallery space. 2 plates from the series BPS were installed, one as if it was room service; on a tray with coffee cup, vase with a single flower on the hotel bed. And the other in the bathroom standing on a plate holder situated near the hotel bathroom sink.