Peter Wegner

Chance Impression

"Chance impressions." That's what fingerprints were called in 19th century London by the detectives who first learned to look for them. They’re generally invisible, but in mapping one, I've made it highly visible. A print left by the tip of a finger and remade by fingertip. Installed on the wall of the biometrics room in the Palo Alto PSB.

Chance Impression map pins on muslin over panel, 112″ x 70″ x 6″, permanent installation: Public Safety Building, Palo Alto CA, 2025

Chance Impression (detail) map pins on muslin over panel, 112″ x 70″ x 6″, permanent installation: Public Safety Building, Palo Alto CA, 2025

Chance Impression It's surprisingly tricky to move a giant fingerprint.

Chance Impression Work in progress: many, many map pins. (Many.)

Chance Impression Work in progress: from my field trip to the fingerprint lab

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