Mere mention of another catalog of architecture photographs, the outcome of an exhibition, may make one yawn, especially if the cover promises a new comparison between two figures with little in common, and its flap asks about the role photography should play in the construction of spaces. Even more if behind the title’s play of words one discerns an nth attempt to lambast the technical advances of the medium and call for a romantic return to the analogue. And to top it all, if the book’s structure is another parade of images in no apparent order, prefaced by editors trying to explain the novelty of their presentation and concluding with essays by prestigious like-minded colleagues. Notwithstanding, here is a clear case of the truth that a book must not be judged by its cover.
Initial biases dissipate after reading the introduction, an exposé of the careers and work approach of the two subjects. The dissipation continues as it becomes clear that the intention is not propaganda but experimentation, with an evocative take-off point and an insightful methodology: elucidate how the respective trademarks of the authors are manifested in a collaborative shoot where one edits images taken by the other. But the biases are altogether subverted in the succession of diptychs juxtaposing the work of Rory Gardiner and Maxime Delvaux. We can enjoy an intelligent dialogue in the confrontation of shots depicting the everyday life of buildings, where ordinary elements are not eyesores and architecture blends into the reality around it. No hungry eye will be bored.
