Archives – 2009
Blueprint: Architects in Transit by Julia Atkinson
7th – 16th May 2009
This body of work by photographer Julia Atkinson portrays young Polish architects ‘on the move’ through derelict landscapes within Queen’s Island, captured through the passenger window of a moving car. These professional figures offer a glimpse into the recent Diaspora of Polish architects living and working in Belfast, contributing to the mass regeneration of this city yet who remain mostly unnoticed by Northern Irish communities outside the realm of architecture.
Emphasis is placed upon the architects’ movement and passage, replicating the incidental encounter witnessed in street photography, indicating the subjects’ temporary stay in Belfast. ‘Blueprints: Architects in Transit’ seeks to challenge stereotypical portrayals of migrant workers. Backdrops of the old shipping docks pay homage to the history and the traditional industries of this city however the unexpected presence of the ‘passing’ architects offers a new energy, reflecting the changing face of Belfast.
Related
Download the Blueprint Brochure [PDF, 2.4mb]
- Images and text © Julia Atkinson and PLACE, 2009
This exhibition was part of Polish Cultural Week for 2009.
Part of the permanent collection at the Naughton Gallery at Queen’s.
PLACE Podcast: Interview with Polish architect and artist Agnieszka Gluza – available to download soon.