ARTUR SIKORA PHOTOGRAPHER: concrete

Showing posts with label concrete. Show all posts

Sunday, 10 November 2019

Addicted to concrete...

Last weekend I returned to Arts Building once again. This time I got a chance to spend some time in Lecky library. Place I visited for the first time a few weeks ago during Open House, architectural festival. I knew that I wanted to get back there one day and such an opportunity just happened recently.

Here I just wanted to thank John McManus from TCD library who is also a great photographer (please check John's Instagram here - LINK). It wouldn’t be possible without his help.

Saturday morning, very few students there so plenty of space for me and my camera ;) This time Fuji GS645w for wider shots and Rolleiflex T for anything else. All loaded with Ilford Delta 400 Pro. I added yellow filter for slightly better contrast.

Before shooting I had some time to walk around, scout the place and figure out the best possible shots. Then about 30-40 minutes to go through chosen areas.

Structure of this building is fascinating. Wonderfully exposed, blended with all bookshelves and beautifully opened to the external part of the campus though broad glazing.

All three libraries are connected though underground corridor perfectly illuminated by large rooflight.

And yes… I ended up getting a few quick photographs in Berkeley Library ;) I couldn’t miss this opportunity. Even if I made quite significant documentation of this building already.

On the way back I repeated below photograph. I made it quickly last year... handheld with 400 film exposed at 6400. This time slowly, with tripod, without loosing any details.

My name is Artur Sikora and I am addicted to concrete ;)

Wednesday, 26 December 2018

The beginnings ...

This morning I opened the box with collection of my old negatives. Some of them from 2008/2009. Yes, that was the moment when I started my adventure with analogue photography. About 2 years earlier this medium became my form of so called visual expression. Surprised?

No, I wasn’t born with camera ;) I got my first one (smena 8m) when I was about 8 years old but after exposing a few frames, film broke in the camera. It was never processed and I didn’t bother to use smena again.

It’s all started rather about 2007/08. Initially street mixed with architecture. Modernist concrete structures were always my favourite subjects since then…. approached in a bit different way than I do it now.

Here you can see short series of frames exposed around Berkeley Library in 2009. All mages on Fuji NCN400 black and white C41 film, Mamiya C330 Pro.

I didn’t process negatives myself back then. I decided to play with a few months later. And then it was like a flood …. Roll after roll, cameras, experiments and so on…

Below photographs are ‘remastered’ if I can say that. I rescanned all frames in higher resolution using much better scanner and software than I had available 10 years ago.

Thank you!

Saturday, 10 February 2018

Saint Fintan's Church

It took me a while to write these few words and first of all to get back to this abandoned blog. Truly crazy last 7-8 months with lots of work and not much time (if at all) for personal photography but here it is - I got a chance to make a few images of a building I was interested in for a few years now.

Saint Fintan's church in Sutton designed by Andrew Devane (of RKD Architects), built in 1972.

Classic, beautiful example how to deal with concrete, how to make it look great and and how to shape it. It’s not the first building designed by Andy Devane I am visiting. I am sure you remember photographs of incredible AiB Bank Centre in Ballsbridge … (please use this LINK to see images)

All photographs were made with Hasselblad 500c/m with Distagon 50/4 and two rolls of really good films - Rollei RPX 25 and ADOX CMS 20 which caught my special attention.

I exposed Adox at ISO 16 and processed both films in Kodak Xtol as usual. Result was truly impressive. Beautiful , clear negatives with strong contrast and incredible tonality.

It was especially important in case of concrete structure like Saint Fintan’s church.

Time for a few photographs...

Add caption

Thank you!

Sunday, 15 January 2017

3rd Place Winner - Monochrome Photography Awards

Truly wonderful news arrived this morning…
I was awarder 3rd place in International Black and White Photography Competition - Monochrome Photography Awards, Professional Architecture Category.
I can’t say anything else except that I am really really happy :)Below is the winning entry...

Image was made with large format 4x5 camera and Fomapan 100 black and white negative film.

I wanted to transfer a very specific look of the place into my image. That's why I visited this location a few times.

Finally I managed to photograph it in the way I wanted... after third or even fourth approach. A few frustrating moments but it was so worth it...

Press Release (please click image to enlarge):

Have a look please at other great photographs from organiser's gallery:

Monochrome Awards website: http://monoawards.com/

My entry: http://bit.ly/2jKgcDU

Other entries in category Architecture: http://bit.ly/2ip6ZED

Other galleries: http://bit.ly/2jwnmwc

Thank you!

Sunday, 23 October 2016

Hunt for modernism...

One can observe an increased hunt for modernism these days. Fascinating and important structures disappearing one after the other. All of it in the name of 'redevelopment' of the area which is usually related to demolition of precious object in order to built new one.
...As simple as that... and It goes along with usual public acceptance - 'ugly building', 'eyesore', 'happy to see it down'.
...hmm why it is so difficult to understand that traces of every period are very important for future generations... architecture, literature, paintings...
In case of architecture we are talking usually about very innovative structures for the time when it was built, about genuine ideas. It is an architectural heritage which needs to be treasured. Doesn't matter what people say and how much money developers can offer for the land...

Just my opinion which I keep repeating for quite a long time and I am not going to stop...

So many buildings has gone already and many other will be demolished sooner or later.
It is truly frightening, so sad and hopeless...

Over a week ago I was photographing Fitzwilton House (please click HERE to see the photographs) ...'redevelopment' of its area will happen very soon.
This includes demolition ...
The same with part of the old AiB Bankcentre in Ballsbridge, absolutely stunning building which I am hoping to photograph before it will be to late.
I am awaiting permission since a while...
These are just very recent examples.

A few days ago I spent couple of hours with my camera in Phibsborough centre. Busy streets with lots of people, cars , busses... Typical morning rush hours.
Luckily there was still plenty of space to set the equipment.

Phibsborough shopping centre with office tower on the top. Magnificent structure.

The building, opened in 1969, was designed by McCormack Keane and Partners.
It 'is a seven-storey concrete office tower on a plinth of single-storey retail units. The formal arrangement of tower and plinth recalls a motte and bailey fortification. This comparison is enhanced by both the segmented concrete staircase that clings to the south-western side of the tower like a medieval turret and the first floor concrete annex that wraps around the corner of Connaught street like a battlement.

The facade is composed of 409 pre-cast panels in the office tower and further 50 on the first floor.'

(info from the Cormac Murray's article on architectureireland.ie)

Soon I am going to come back to make some images showing more context. It was kind of impossible with large format camera I was using that day. Some views requires shooting from the street or middle of the footpath so small equipment and relatively fast photographing is required.

These photographs are part of 'Unfulfilled Dreams' of course. Please have a look at all project.

***

Equipment used: Sinar F2 4x5 large format camera with Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon 90/8 lens and Fomapan 100 4x5 sheet film.

Saturday, 15 October 2016

Along the Grand Canal...

Since a few months I am cycling along the Grand Canal at least four times a day... new daily routine related to father's duties ;)
I have a chance to observe surrounding of the Canal in more details than before and in various light. My eyes are focused mainly on architecture of course. It nicely shows how buildings are changing, how its shapes and character transforms in different light. It can be truly fascinating. Believe me ;)

Two buildings caught my attention - Fitzwilton House on Wilton Place and then former Bord Fáilte headquarters (Irish Tourist Board) at the junction of Lower Baggot Street and Wilton Terrace. I know them very well as I was working for a few years in this area in my so called previous life.
...so after many moths of concentrating mainly on commercial part of photography and small jobs related to my Darkroom Service I decided to dust off my good reliable Sinar. Going big - the best choice.

Now I had a possibility to look at them through the lens of my camera.

It was also a good chance to check equipment and my own performance after such a long break. And what can I say? All works well and that’s the most important thing :)

I made first few photographs on Direct Positive Paper. Got only one good image which is not bad at all. On Monday morning I returned for more. This time with FP4+ loaded into holders and some more paper as well.

My 'models' are really important from architectural heritage point of view as they may be gone pretty soon…as many other modernist objects from that period in Dublin.

Both completely different in scale and both quite a tricky subjects to photograph due to some heavy traffic on Wilton Terrace at the time of the day when I could do my work. Bus stops and bus parking along the street didn’t make it easy as well.

At this stage I would like to push a bit my project ‘Unfulfilled Dreams’ which was on hold since almost the beginning of the year. It's a pity that sometimes it is so difficult to obtain a permission to get inside, if possible at all. That’s why I decided to change tactic, approach many structures in a different way and focus on external parts first instead of interiors.
I will be very happy to come back and finish it out with interior photography as well but that's a next stage.

Fitzwilton House was designed by architects Emanuel Shoolheifer and Don Burley (hired by Ronald Lyon Estates) for Sir Basil Goulding and completed in 1969.

It is an immense concrete structure but at the same time fragile in its visual perception.
Very complex facade made of few different concrete finishes creates sort of sceleton which makes all building invisible.
Nine storey tower with smaller, three storey base surrounded by carpark.
Very fine example of modernism in Ireland in my opinion.

In June 2016, planning permission was granted for its demolition...

Bord Fáilte headquarters, another architectural treasure, was designed by Robin Walker (of later Michael Scott & Partners) in 1961. Robin Walker was the only Irish architect who worked for le Corbusier and studied under the direction of Mies van der Rohe.

This very unique and beautiful in its simplicity structure is now for sale as a potential development site...

I just wanted to write something about it but doing research I found perfect article written last year by Robin Walker's son Simon Walker... I woudn't be able to explain it better.
Just click HERE please to read it.

At the end some technicalities of course.

All was photographed with Sinar F2 4x5 large format camera with Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon 90/8 lens and Ilford FP4+ 4x5 sheet film.

Some photographs were made on Ilford/Harman Direct Positive Paper. I presented one of them on social media a few days ago. The rest will be shown in the same way so please follow me on FB, Twitter, Linkedin or Instagram.

Also please have a look at recently reorganised and updated 'Unfulfilled Dreams' gallery ...important Irish modernist buildings (just click gallery title please).

Thank you!

Thursday, 25 August 2016

Built in nature...

It took me a while to write this post. Usually when I am showing photographs and writing about modernism all words just flowing out of my head. This time however was a bit different.
I tried to write something a few times this week but decided to postpone it at the end.
It is probably because disappointment sitting deep in my head related to camera incident I am constantly talking about... I know...
Material for this article was the most important for me and most of photographs which never came out were made exactly on described below site. Close-ups, some details and really interesting frames showing how well this building is connected to the nature.

I am here anyway with what’s left and with some description... at last.

Visiting described place was special for couple of reasons. It is the only naturally preserved structure in the area, structure so well representing my beloved period in architecture. It is also the only one which stands out and looks simply beautiful.

The most interesting aspect however is the fact that the owner of the house was my history teacher in secondary school. Absolutely lovely lady! It was a pure pleasure to meet her after all these years.

How did I get to photographing described building? I was thinking about it many times when my trip to Poland was approaching… and believe me or not but actually It’s happened spontaneously.
I mentioned Mariusz Tomczuk in my last post. Yep, he lives almost next door :) and Mariusz also had a plan to visit neighbouring modernist treasure so… we just did it.

House was built in 1938 by the father of present owner. This extraordinary building sits on a beautiful plot surrounded by an amazing trees. Generally it is a very green part of the town, away from a busy streets. All of it makes this place very special.

What’s the most important if the fact that interior looks like the time has stopped decades ago. It is not only about furnitures but also the smallest details. Incredible. I was seriously amazed when I entered the house.
This applies to the entire building.

I also had an opportunity to see part of the original project. Very exciting moment. Small A4, already yellow/brownish pages with hand drown layouts . Unfortunately there was no obvious these days data table so I don’t have the name of the Architect.

Anyway - there is nothing more to say to be honest. Have a look please at photographs. This house is just beautiful and its every corner speaks for itself!

We had a plan to split our session into two parts that day in order to get a proper lighting on all elevations. Time was flying however so we managed to do it in one go. Sun smoothly illuminated our 'model' from the east to the west perfectly!

I am not sure when I will be in Hrubieszow again and if I will be able to rephotograph what has been lost but I am really happy with images I got and possibility of seeing the house.
Many thanks to the owner of the place for having us!

Tech info:

All photographs here were made with Hasselblad 500c/m and Distagon 50/4 on Ilford Pan F Plus 50 and Kodak TMax 400 exposed at ISO 50.