Tecture

Tens of thousand of years of cultural and technological evolution have molded attire into what it is today. In addition to being a form of personal expression, our clothing, and the way we wear it, often reflects our own ethnic affiliations and cultural norms. Recently, I began associating architecture as the attire of entire cities, communities, and families. The structure and design of human shelter— holy sites, ancient palaces, residential apartments, government buildings, etc — all say something about the communities they belong to in greater contexts and their time period like attire does, but on a more permanent scale. I wanted to read into the details of building structures, interior designs, artwork, and materials to understand the depth of their expression and current state, regardless of intentionality. When analyzing attire, historians seek to observe minute details down to textile threads and sewing patterns to gain the utmost understanding. I wanted to read architecture and other structures the same way; from a really close perspective that isolates geometric patterns and other aesthetic elements. By cropping and skewing a selection of my photography, I’ve intended to capture some of these elements that would be difficult to isolate in person. With a short caption to give context, I leave the viewer to interpret my photographs and question: How does the architect’s message translate across time? What does design reveal about culture norms, both past and present? What does the present-day condition of ancient architecture reveal about the countries they reside in?

Delphi, Greece
6th century columns of the Temple of Apollo blend into the cliff rocks from which they came. Natural forces decay the columns, chiseling them back to their original state as raw limestone.
Mumbai, India
Colorful shirts and white sheets are set out to dry in an open laundry. Rows upon rows of clothing lines lie next to and atop one another in what seems like a chaotic cotangent graph.
Granada, Spain
Columns in the Alhambra’s Court of Lions are inscribed with Arabic calligraphy and Moorish design patterns. Shadows outline the depth of etchings and decorative internal arches.
Casablanca, Morocco 
Interior reflections of an entrance gate at Hassan II Mosque. Natural light disperses on marble ground into what seems like waves forming a hamsa.
Mumbai, India
Bell tower of the Baghdadi community’s Magen David Synagogue. Arrows form from the edges of overhangs.
Tirana, Albania
Mural facing Skanderbeg Square at the entrance of the Albanian National History Museum. It depicts Albanians defending their country against foreign invaders.  
Seville, Spain
Backrests of choir chairs in the Santa Maria Cathedral. Golden light and symmetry of the intricate carvings show off the riches of the Catholic church at the time of the Inquisition. The Cathedral was built on top of what used to be the grand mosque of Seville.
Umm al-Fahm, Israel
Windows inside the Umm al-Fahm art gallery frame and subdivide the city as if it were a piece of artwork hung inside the museum.
Varanasi, India
Stacked logs by the River Ganges used in cremation for the Hindu final life ritual called “Antyesti”. The logs’ circular heartwood interiors bulge out of the pile like eyeball pupils staring silently at the river.
Jerusalem
Huddled Jews pray at the western wall. Some seem to be holding up the wall as it appears to cave in on the crowd. 
Marrakesh, Morocco
Balconies outside the Atlas-Medina hotel form striking geometric patterns. 
Guarda, Portugal
Renovations in a centuries old building leaves uneven concrete behind a decomposing window frame.
Berlin, Germany
Rectangular stones in the Holocaust Memorial lay in the afternoon sunlight forming seemingly hollow sides.
Dharamsala, India
Tibetan prayer flags hang in overwhelming rows underneath the Dalai Lama’s temple. 
Prague, Czechia
Stained glass mirrors in the Spanish synagogue seem to float in midair. Their presence is inspired by stained glass found in churches, and the color patterns closely resemble those found in Spanish Islamic architecture. 
Berlin, Germany
Graffiti tags mark escalator steps in a subway station as they arise cyclically in infinite motion, making them more noticeable to passerby. 
Venice, Italy
Apartment building walls inside the Jewish ghetto. Hundreds of years of remodeling and maintenance leave windows in awkward positions and sizes, along with fading paint and grime.
Delhi, India
Tile designs form six pointed stars outside Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a Sikh house of worship. They look identical to Magen David, perhaps the most recognizable Jewish symbol.
Jerusalem
Exterior arches of the Dome of the Rock form a mesmerizing pattern at sunrise that appear like steps. Detailed zellij illuminate the intricacy of 11th century Islamic architecture.
Granada, Spain
Ceiling stalactite, or mocárabe, in the Alhambra’s Hall of Two Sisters are said to be a symbolic representation of the cave where Mohammed received the Quran. From afar, its texture and dimensions appears otherworldly. 
 Berat, Albania
An abandoned cistern underneath Berat Castle. Trash and leftover construction materials lie under seven hundred year old columns.
Fes, Morocco
Side entrance to the royal palace Dar al-Makhzen shows off quintessential Islamic design. A spectacle of complex color combinations and geometric patterns that hold balance and symmetry.