Tom Evangelidis rejects the candy-coated world of architectural perfection in favor of a style that is relentlessly honest and unapologetically raw. He is drawn to the details that give our urban landscape its character and richness – the unsightly garbage dumpsters that sit jarringly beside cathedrals of flawless beauty; the peeling paint that curls from the doors of once luxurious homes; and the concrete monstrosities that loom above vast industrial wastelands. Façade documents an eclectic mix of architectural eras from the gothic beauty of the 13th century to the ornate decadence of the 18th century and the austere classicism of the Communist era in the 20th century. The photographs were taken in Prague, Bucharest, Hanoi, St Petersburg, Sofia, Istanbul and Havana – a reflection of the photographer’s fascination with the toll time wrecks – on glorious architectural movements throughout history.
Although the cities tell their own tales of turmoil and change, for Evangelidis the precise location of each photograph is incidental. He refrains from revealing too much about where each building stands, and he dodges cliché settings that might belong on a postcard.
As a photographer, Evangelidis is fascinated by the evolution of architecture and its intricate links with politics, culture and class. He approaches major public installations with the same respect as he would humble, ramshackle homes because he understands they are equally important in documenting the progression – and decline – of history.
FESTIVAL
Paris Photo Los Angeles
May 1st – 3rd, 2015
Black Eye
Paramount Pictures Studios
Los Angeles
780 N. Gower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90038
United States
