Not currently on display at the V&A

Barcelona, Catalunya

Photograph
1998-2001 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In his series Esperantis, Patrick Shanahan photographs at night, focussing on peripheral urban areas that are brightly lit to reveal hyperreal spaces at once convincing but unsettling. Shanahan often concentrates on beach scenes that we are used to seeing in daylight, crowded with holiday makers. The emptiness of these tourist havens, combined with the artificial light that distorts the photograph in unexpected ways, adds to the strangeness of these images. Exploring the link between the real and the ideal, Shanahan plays with the material and psychological effects of modern urban spaces.


Object details

Category
Object type
Titles
  • Barcelona, Catalunya (assigned by artist)
  • Esperantis (series title)
Materials and techniques
Lamda print
Brief description
'Barcelona, Catalunya', from the series 'Esperantis', 1998-2001 by Patrick Shanahan (born 1955)
Physical description
Picture of a beach at night, with decking in the foreground, and an ice-cream hut, parasols, and chairs in the background.
Dimensions
  • Height: 36in
  • Width: 54in
Gallery label
"In his series 'Esperantis', Patrick Shanahan photographs at night, focussing on peripheral urban areas that are brightly lit to reveal hyper-real spaces at once convincing but unsettling. Shanahan often concentrates on beach scenes that we are used to seeing in daylight, crowded with holiday makers. The emptiness of these tourist havens, combined with the artificial light that distorts the photograph in unexpected ways, adds to the strangeness of these images. Exploring the link between the real and the ideal, Shanahan plays with the material and psychological effects of modern urban landscapes." - Sophie Leighton(11/09/2007-28/06/2008)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Subjects depicted
Summary
In his series Esperantis, Patrick Shanahan photographs at night, focussing on peripheral urban areas that are brightly lit to reveal hyperreal spaces at once convincing but unsettling. Shanahan often concentrates on beach scenes that we are used to seeing in daylight, crowded with holiday makers. The emptiness of these tourist havens, combined with the artificial light that distorts the photograph in unexpected ways, adds to the strangeness of these images. Exploring the link between the real and the ideal, Shanahan plays with the material and psychological effects of modern urban spaces.
Bibliographic reference
Shanahan, Patrick Esperantis Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, 2003
Collection
Accession number
E.268-2005

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Record createdFebruary 28, 2006
Record URL
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