20 x 24 polaroids
In early 2011, David’s longtime friend and colleague, Mark Sobczack, provided him with a rare opportunity: access to one of the five original Polaroid 20x24 large-format view cameras, a groundbreaking creation from the late 1970s. These massive cameras, developed by Polaroid for commercial and artistic use, are now legendary for their ability to produce stunning 20x24-inch instant prints, mages rich in detail, texture, and depth.
For two months, this iconic camera was housed in Hochbaum’s East Village studio in Manhattan. With unlimited access to expired stock film and negatives, materials that have since been discontinued—Hochbaum set off on an artistic journey, capturing a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind prints on a medium that was already slipping into photographic history.
In addition to his own installations and photographs, Hochbaum invited friends and family to his studio to experience the magic of having their portraits taken with this historic camera. The following is a curated collection of the large-format Polaroids created during this brief but prolific period, with the invaluable help of Sobczack.
