SHUT!

SHUT! is an ongoing project I’ve been working on for quite some time now. Starting some time in 2018 I discovered a fascination for (exterior) shutters, both commercial and residential, and I began to take photographs whenever I came across one with a camera available. I would sometimes return to a location I had discovered previously and take images with a tripod and my camera whenever the lighting situation required a stable camera support.

Front-on Perspective

One of the key characteristics of my signature look pervading large parts of my work is a front-on perspective with very little depth-of-field and with parallel lines providing no vantage point to the viewer’s eye. As a result, there is no three-dimensional perspective causing parts of the composition receding into the background. External shutters are a subject that lends itself perfectly to this look because they consist of relatively simple patterns of either parallel lines or a repetitive pattern of more or less circular shapes which—in their own—represent a linear pattern, too.

Parallels and Shades of Life

What makes shutters so attractive to me besides their parallelity is their variety of shades and surfaces. From simple weather-worn rusty surfaces to shiny finishes to serving as a medium for graffiti, shutters represent a whole universe of diversity and, often unnoticed from a wider look, these man-made barriers reveal a fascinating richness at a closer look. When I started this project I considered accompanying every regular shot by a close-up to reveal the tremendous amount of details. I do believe, however, that this is unnecessary as the viewer can imagine these details even from only seeing the wide shots.

No End of Project in Sight

This project is ongoing, and I keep adding work to it constantly. I have not decided yet on how much more artwork I will create until I can call it complete, because each time I stroll through the suburbs of a different city I discover all sorts of shutters purveying a variety of entirely different structures and colours or simply appearing completely differently because of the environmental lighting they’re exposed to.

Over time, working on SHUT! has resulted in creating a range of additional material, much of it likely to be part of a different project in the future. And just as in SHUT!, parallelity will play an important role in it.

In this post I share only a few of my project favourites, none of which have names or have undergone any digital modification yet. Have a look at the Work in Progress section (My Work -> Work in Progress) if you are interested in the progress I make with this project.

You Think I’m Nuts?

Well, I guess I am, at times.
Leave me a comment below if you are too or if you find this subject as interesting as I do. Or simply share this post with your friends and fellow artists!