Urban

Plateau MontrealSol_Lang.htmlUrban2.htmlshapeimage_1_link_0
SanctuaryUrban1.htmlUrban1.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0
Sol Lang photographsSol_Lang.html

My P.O.V.


Although generally very diverse, some of my art tends to contain images of destruction and decay of man-made structures and objects. Whether destroyed by deliberate demolition, accidental disaster or just by the elements and time, I am intrigued by the compositional and emotional expressions that these subjects yield.


My contribution to this exhibit is part of a series of photographs called Masonry and Steel Exclusions. By combining mid to extreme close-ups, I give the viewer a sense of the abstract while allowing full recognition of what it is he or she is looking at. Still there is a very strong painting-like expressionistic element in the details of each that makes for a bold composition with dramatic results.


I shoot only in colour, but I often plan my images to be printed in black-and-white. My choice is dictated by the subject and the effect I feel will best convey the images’ dramatic message. My definition of drama, in this context, is that which will provoke an unsettling response in the viewer. These images can ignite memories from the past. Perhaps fears from childhood or suppressed memories of a significant place or event. They may be either first hand experiences or as witnessed through the media. They can also be secret angst coming from one’s gut unbeknownst as to its origin.


Intentionally I express what is aesthetically pleasing and especially enjoy discovering it in the least likely places. The contradiction of aesthetic beauty framed in a photograph taken in a visually “objectionable” environment is what provokes the viewer to respond in a profound way that goes beyond the apparent. Usually it is an intellectual response with an emotional sprinkle, although often in the reverse order.

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