Strangers in a Strange Land

In my space at Artomatic I decided to show a series of images from two very different subjects, the monumental titanium constructions of Frank Gehry and abandoned houses along the coast in Almeria, in southern Spain. In a recent trip to Spain I stopped in Bilbao to photograph the Guggenheim museum before heading south to Almeria. I found both settings to be fascinating but also austere. Gehry’s organic forms take on a more sinister air at night, as the artificial lights impose gold and brown hues on the metal plates and Louise Bourgeois’ spider sculpture appears less playful. The abandoned buildings that I stumbled upon in the desert landscapes of Almeria appear somewhat artificial. They could be leftovers from an old movie set. But they also serve as a reminder of the impermanence of  human constructions and the unsetted existence of those who have passed through, leaving behind a few possessions or writings on the wall.