20×24 Holdings LLC and Polaroid Corporation have recentlycompleted an agreement to transfer the studio and production assets for Polaroid 20×24 film to 20×24 Holdings LLC. This private company, headed by John Reuter will continue to offer access to the incredible analog technology of large format instant film by way of camera and studio rental as well as film sales to independent owners of 20×24 cameras.
“This has been a long time coming,” says Reuter, the former director of the New York Studio for Polaroid. “We have been planning for this for over two years as it became clear that Polaroid would be exiting the consumer and professional film business. We have been able to set aside enough film stock to last for three years at least and are working to acquire additional film stock to continue even longer.” Reuter has assembled a group of private investors to underwrite the acquisition of the studio assets, which include 2 of the original 20×24 cameras as well as the production equipment to continue making the reagent chemistry and spool the film stock into individual case rolls.
The studio has moved to a new location at 75 Murray Street in Tribeca in a landmark building known as the Bogardus Mansion (www.bogardusmansion.com). The 2500 square foot space will be able to accommodate a larger variety of events and photo shoots. Larger scale events can be hosted in the first floor and basement event spaces of Bogardus Mansion.“We are incredibly excited to be able to continue to offer this unique medium,” says Reuter.
He continues, “I have been involved with 20×24 instant imaging for nearly thirty years and it has never lost the initial excitement.” Jennifer Trausch, Director of Photography at the New York Studio offers, “There is no doubt that digital technology has made great advances in the past few years and produces spectacular images. There is really no need for us to compete with that because there are numerous locations that offer that technology. But we will be the only facility in New York that offers this one-of-a-kind large format analog technology.” Trausch, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, has directed the studio operations for over five years. Many have made a comparison of 20×24 Polaroid technology to audiophile vinyl records. In fact there has been resurgence in recording music and releasing it in traditional vinyl as the recording artists feel that analog technology produces more natural musical transitions. It is also true in large format photography, many artists feel that the tonal nuances produced by Polaroid 20×24 film are impossible to capture with digital means. In some ways digital is too perfect, and many artists still yearn for the uniqueness and personality of large-scale Polaroid prints.
