Friday 23 November 2012

Giasco Bertoli – Tennis Courts


When researching my previous post about Ward Roberts photo series – Courts, I discovered a comparison to Giasco Bertoli’s -Tennis Courts.
“I started photographing empty tennis courts in southern Switzerland in 1999, on the border to Italy. The work came about by chance. Some time after I’d moved to Paris, I was back in Switzerland, walking in the woods near were I grew up and I came across an abandoned tennis court. I photographed that one, then courts around the neighbourhood where I grew up, and have continued to photogragraph deserted tennis courts ever since. In general I think about images from my adolescence and also think of the visual experiences I’ve had with film as an experience of real life.”
Giasco Bertoli, Spring 2009
I find his images equally as eye catching as Roberts’ Court series, both shot in a similar way. There’s something about deserted places that I love, especially when shown un-embellished and simply.  Here are a selection of my favourites.





Ward Roberts


Ward Roberts series ‘Courts.’ 

Courts is a project photographed over 4 years, shot on film. Roberts documented sports courts around the world in places such as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Bali, New York and London. Photographed nearly always empty, these images feel stark and eery, emphasised or contrasted by their location and colours. I am attracted to the lines, colour and symmetry within them.








I think his book will now be on my christmas list!
Check out my other favourite Ward Roberts projects, ‘Minimum’ and ‘Billions’ on his website >> http://www.wardrobertsphoto.com


Brutalism


I’ve been researching architecture for my Final Major Project at uni. I have been looking at tower blocks, flats and oppressive buildings and I came across Brutalist architecture.
Brutalism is a type of architecture that came out of the modernist movement, this specific type prevailed between the 1950's - 1970-s.  It's hard to see past the dull concrete, blockish appearance, but when you do these buildings are quite impressive. Here are some examples... 
Brunel Uni,  London (above) features in A Clockwork Orange – which happens to be the subject of my dissertation. This location as well as the second below are included in the Top 10 Brutalist attractions in London. 



Alexandra Road Estate



Habitat 67/Habitat is a housing complex in Canada.