"Parlamentsrampe"

Gelatin silver print, selenium toned (contact sheet)

This series shows no trace of the formal, classical vocabulary of architect Theophil Hansen’s magnum opus, the Austrian Parliament building in Vienna, which takes its architectural cues from the design of an ancient Greek temple. Even locals in Vienna have difficulty recognizing the structure depicted in the photographs as the ramp leading up to parliament. I was fascinated by the spatial intersections of the large ramp leading up to the main floor, coupled with the changing appearance of the cobblestones, sidewalk curb and parapet as one walks past them. The carefully chosen composition shifts the focus exclusively to these visual elements.
(Fritz Simak)