Shapes Material or Otherwise

St. Engelbert Church, by Dominikus Böhm (1932).

Cologne, Germany.

© Roberto Conte (2015)

Ricardo Bofill - Les Espaces d'Abraxas, Noisy-le-Grand.

Ingvar Cronhammar (Dec. 17, 1947 - 2021) was a Swedish-born Danish installation artist whose work often was monumental and borrowing from an industrial aesthetics.

Here he plays with streaming light and water into the cisterns under Copenhagen…

Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, by Gianni Lamedica and Fabio Tombari (1979-1996).

Calmazzo (Fossombrone), Italy.

© Roberto Conte (2022)

David Moreno

Rotterdam-based David Moreno prefers his spatial pieces to oscillate between initial sketches of architectural projects and fully-realised constructions. His steel sculptures are comprised of lengthy metal strips and piano strings that are arranged to form building complexes, cathedrals, and steep flights of stairs. Despite being three-dimensional artworks, they mimic an architect’s outlines with their swooping lines and grid-like qualities.

Chiesa di San Quirino, by Antonio De Cillia (1967).

Udine, Italy.

© Roberto Conte (2024)

liebfrauenkirche duisburg // duisburg mitte

architect: toni hermanns

relief on the front facade: "moses und der brennende dornbusch" karl heinz türk

completion: 1961

during my visit, i didn't realise what a pearl of modern church architecture duisburg has to offer. i think that even the few photos i took show the building's uniqueness. the church has been deconsecrated for a few years now and is used as a cultural centre. in any case, i have yet to visit the interior, because i hear it's fantastic.

Steve Messam 

Steve Messam is an environmental artist based in County Durham, UK and working internationally. His ephemeral site-specific installations re-imagine the everyday, interrupting historical landscapes and vacant architecture to help us perceive the familiar environment in a new way.