‘ Doors’ always a mystery! What’s behind it? ‘Windows’ You could peek into!
My love for doors and windows are connected to Architecture. It takes me to a different dimension. Tell me so many stories of what’s behind it. It’s all imagination and how a person looks at it. It not only serves as an entrance or exit but also stepping into unknown. Doors and windows has been an important part of an architectural element in a painting for as long as we remember. Like for example at the time of Renaissance portraits with windows, doors and landscape in the background became very popular. A sense of space appeared on the canvas and man, nature, interior and exterior became one. In 17th century doors and windows became more prominent and bigger. They were portrayed as a bridge in between the world. Door becomes a primary form of spatial inquiry opening towards streets, courtyards and other rooms in paintings.
The reason I get attracted towards doors and windows is also partially related to my background in Building Architecture. I was always fascinated by Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. He would design the space in his mind just by walking through the space.
His most recognizable work ‘Falling water’ is a perfect example of how outdoors becomes indoor. He is often quoted saying that “ A house should never sit atop of a hill but rather become part of it.” His organic design was also seen in his windows. His extensive use of clear glass with a touch of color. No other Modern Era Architect used the glass the way Frank Lloyd did.
I get access to these doors through internet and travel. Things that catch my attention are texture, rusting, peeling paint, the carvings and color is a powerful visual tool for expressing a wide range of emotions. The light, shadow plays an important role in how we perceive things around us and same goes for Architecture. There are such an amazing photographers who shares their day to day pictures and sometimes I stumble upon them by luck to discover their photography and get inspired. When it comes to photography one could think of painter turned photographer Roy Colmer. In the mid 70’s he photographed more than 3000 doors of his home town New York which is now exhibited at Lisson gallery and previously been exhibited at PSI and the New York Public Library. Another great example is beautiful windows by photographer Andre Vicente Goncalves who travelled the world taking pictures of windows. In 2015 he wrote a blog about his collection Called “Windows of the World,” the collection zeroes in what Gonçalves sees as the source of a building’s personality—its windows. Inspired by the architecture throughout the history.
As someone said that, “The way to see any space is that the viewer sees what is in the distance and at the same time pictures himself at the particular space.”