Where Light Meets Paper: Printing Sacred Place
Behind him, photographs glow vividly; in front of me, Balarama Heller greets me with a warm “nice to see you again.”
From our very first meeting, he struck me as open and approachable. The many colorful, almost neon-like images immediately sparked my curiosity – I wanted to know more.
He was quick to agree when I asked for a conversation about his experiences with us, and, above all, about himself and his work.
The Visit
On July 21, he arrived with Nelson Chan and Carl Wooley from TIS Books – a milestone for him: his first book project in offset printing. Not just standard CMYK, but a demanding project that required our Spectra7 technique on a eight-color press.
Heller had already heard of us, through Bruno at MACK Books and others. True to his nature, he came prepared – reading, researching, and gathering knowledge until he felt confident, while still staying open to the unexpected.
Reflections on the Printing Process
Offset was new territory for him. He had sought out advice from fellow artists and prepared himself mentally. Still, the process turned out differently than he had imagined:
“I was surprised at how collaborative and inclusive it was – much less intimidating than I expected. It felt like a masterclass in offset printing.”
He described a deep appreciation for what happens on press: the craft of the printers, the interplay of countless factors, and the compromises where every decision shapes the outcome. As an artist, he is used to making choices alone. Here, trust, compromise, and shared learning defined the process. “It was definitely one of my peak experiences as an artist.”
Impressions
What impressed him most was the atmosphere: warm, committed, spanning generations. Challenges were addressed openly and resolved transparently. Harald Longos’s frankness in handling a technical issue surprised and pleased him. Most of all, he felt truly respected as an artist – his voice mattered.
“There was no show, no pretending – everything was transparent. And that’s what built trust.”
His enthusiasm for the craft was tangible and sincere.
Sacred place
Sacred place is perhaps his most personal work – deeply autobiographical. Raised in the Hare Krishna movement, he photographed pilgrimages in India, exploring the tension between materiality and spirituality, ritual and universal accessibility. The book is about truth, reality, and archetypes that, while spiritually rooted, remain open to everyone.
His images captivate the viewer – beautiful, yet not immediately decipherable. They hover between representation and abstraction, creating a space that conveys more than mere reality: an extraordinary space.
Technical and Aesthetic Aspects
The project was technically demanding: reference prints on glossy paper had to be translated onto a softer, matte stock. Colors that initially seemed “wrong” revealed a new internal logic. “If I were to do it again, I’d choose different reference paper,” he reflected – not with frustration, but with delight in the learning process. Inspired by a friend’s project, he deliberately chose the paper used in the book and is satisfied with its tactile quality and the final result.
We had to redo seven printing plates, change the rubber blanket, and adjust the screen – but we did it.
The color red played a central role – inspired by the astrophysical phenomenon of redshift, by light that has traveled vast distances, and by its emotional warmth. Red was not only essential to his imagery but also central to the printing: instead of classic magenta, we used Rhodamine Red to achieve an even wider gamut.
Artistic Approach & Development
“It’s not about making people believe something new, but about how we look at the universe.” His art seeks to build bridges between the scientifically tangible and the spiritual, between what can be grasped and what cannot. Even motifs that might at first seem unsettling – like snakes – he approaches with aesthetic openness:
“I want people to spend time with things that may initially make them uncomfortable – and then discover beauty in them.”
This philosophy also shapes his evolution: from classic black-and-white documentary photography in the Magnum tradition to a distinctive, color-rich visual language that embraces risk and uncertainty. “It was like alchemy – real magic that I was allowed to take part in.”
Conclusion
To me, Balarama Heller is not only an artist but also a scientist at heart: curious, inquisitive, hungry for knowledge – and eager to share his insights. His work captivated me from the beginning. What impressed me most is how he strives to make the whole visible, to explain, to render things tangible – through and beyond his art.
Thank you for this enriching conversation. We are happy to finally hold your book in our hands.
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