Artist Caleb Charland’s photographic series Back to Light expands upon a classic grade school science project: the potato battery. The Bangor, Maine-based artist uses nails inside fruit connected with copper wire to create functional batteries, then uses long exposures to capture his illuminated subjects. Charland explains:
“The utter simplicity of this electrical phenomenon is endlessly fascinating for me. Many people have had the experience of drawing power from fruit in the classroom, and it never ceases to bring a smile to the face or a thought to the mind. This work speaks to a common curiosity we all have for how the world works as well as a global concern for the future of earth’s energy sources.”
Charland creates fascinating images of fruit galaxies, lamps connected to potatoes still growing in the ground, and chandeliers powered by apples still hanging from their branches.
Click through the gallery to view our favorite photographs from the Back to Light series, then head here to purchase an Orange Battery print for your kitchen.
All photos by Caleb Charland.
Apple Lamp 2014