Artworks

Circle Of Friends

Contents

The origin story behind this piece started in Berlin, Germany, where Robyn and I spent a rainy week in March 2004. It was freezing, but we had a blast. Our photography session in the newly built dome of the new “Reichstag” was inspiring, and the bleak-grey rainy weather enhanced the blues and ambience of the tech looking new dome architecture.

I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship of people and the architectural spaces they find themselves in. And to me, being inside the newly constructed glass dome of the historical Reichstag felt like being inside an architectural artwork. Experiencing it was joyful in a childlike, wondrous way.

History Minute

Berlin Reichstag

The term Reichstag dates back to the Holy Roman Empire. The structure was built for the Diet of the German Empire, which was succeeded by the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic. The latter would become the Reichstag of Nazi Germany, which left the building (and ceased to act as a parliament) after the 1933 fire and never returned; the term Reichstag has not been used by German parliaments since World War II. In today's usage, the word Reichstag (Imperial Diet) refers mainly to the building, while Bundestag (Federal Diet) refers to the institution.

The Spaces Hidden Within

Rainy Day Visitors at the Reichstag Dome

Looking at the building from afar, one would never guess the astonishing space hidden away inside the new glass dome at the very top of the Reichstag, which offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding Berlin cityscape. A large sun shield tracks the movement of the sun electronically and blocks direct sunlight, which would not only cause large solar gain, but dazzle those below. At least this was the theory. For us visiting on a rainy day, “too much sunshine” was not a problem. And, we very much benefited from fewer crowds on a March off-season day.

Before and After

This artwork is part of my “transformations” series, where I manipulate elements of an original photograph. I am interested in how such transformations can change our perceptions and visual sense making, even to the point of evoking new meaning.

The Finished Piece

Circle of Friends, the finished artwork

The circular compression here seemingly alters the relationship of the silhouetted visitors. Instead of gazing outward, the distortion brings them closer, and creates a more intimate huddle inside the concentric forces around them.