Metropolis Abstracted By ANDREW PROKOS
“Despite the series being based on architecture, it ended up being about a more personal and introspective vision as an artist than anything else I have produced. It is an inward-looking series.” – ANDREW PROKOS
Metropolis Abstracted is an ongoing series of architectural abstractions which incorporate elements of contemporary architecture such as building facades, close-up details, and reflections on glass. Each abstraction is composed of one unique image, which through the process of mirroring reveals more complex visual relationships. The basic premise is to utilize the simplest means possible to create images that engage the viewer and provide a springboard for their own imagination.
Metropolis Abstracted has been published at Artsy, Medium Format Magazine, and Widewalls Art Magazine. The series was awarded a jury selection at American Photography 37 in New York, and received honorable mentions at the Prix de la Photographie in Paris and the Neutral Density Photo Awards.
Metropolis Abstracted is an ongoing series of architectural abstractions that incorporate elements of contemporary architecture, such as building facades, close-up details, and reflections on glass. Each abstraction is composed of one unique image, which, through the process of mirroring, reveals more complex visual relationships. The basic premise is to utilize the simplest means possible to create images that engage the viewer and provide a springboard for their own imagination.
I started shooting this series in May of 2020, at the height of the pandemic in New York.
The city was dormant, and business was, of course, very slow. I had opened my own gallery space in Tribeca the previous year, and now it was impossible to get anyone to come visit in person….New Yorkers were already packing up and leaving, and the tourists were gone. So, I decided to occupy myself with more productive things as a way to keep myself creatively challenged. I had been trending toward abstraction in my work in other series, such as Gehry’s Children and Inverted, but I decided to try and push the limits even further towards pure, abstract imagery.
Despite the series being based on architecture, it ended up being about a more personal and introspective vision as an artist than anything else I have produced. It is an inward-looking series.
Architecture is the basic building block used in MA, but the images quickly depart into another realm where they could be based on many other things. It doesn’t really matter because the series isn’t about architecture. It’s about my own perception and vision being laid bare for others to take in. Because of this, I found working on the series personally gratifying. Abstraction is very freeing, but you do risk losing your audience.
Many photographers, in particular, may find it hard to relate to this type of work. They are typically strongly rooted in representational imagery, so this type of work makes them slightly uncomfortable.
I find that painters, who generally have a broader background in the arts, are drawn to the series more immediately than photographers, and I’m fine with that.
In terms of process, I capture each detail with the intent of arriving at a much more complex composition. It’s a process of trial and error in that I shoot many more images than actually ever get used for the series.
They are captured with a 100 mp digital camera, and that allows me latitude in how large I can print the photographs.
This series is best seen on a large scale; there is just no comparison when looking at small images. The large-scale photographs draw the viewer in, and they get lost in the symmetry and the flow. They try to ascertain what the origin of the image is or comment that the images seem to be revealing a hidden symbolism…and they tend to interpret the images in all kinds of ways that I didn’t perceive myself. They become a sort of Rorschach test for the viewer, which is not by design but rather an interesting by-product of the process and its effect on the viewer.
All of the earlier images in the series were taken in New York, and they have a specific aesthetic that reflects that…they appear almost Art Deco in their linear nature. Many of the later images were captured in the UAE after the pandemic was over and the world was springing back to life. The colors are more vivid, and the circles and curves in these images reflect the more exuberant architecture found in the region. In that sense, you can see the evolution of this series over time. Finally, for those who may be wondering, there was no AI used in the production of this work… it’s 100% lens-based.
I think that is an important distinction right now since so much AI imagery is being called ‘photography’ when it, in fact, is not. There is a huge difference between going out and shooting a series from scratch as the product of your own creative abilities and sitting in front of a computer issuing prompts to an AI chatbot.
“For those who may be wondering, there was no AI used in the production of this work… it’s 100% lens-based.”
-ANDREW PROKOS
Andrew Prokos is a New York City-based fine art and architectural photographer.
His fine art photographs incorporate architectural elements and sweeping natural and urban views. Andrew’s cityscapes of New York and other locations are composed of numerous meticulously captured high-definition images. Employing this method allows him to capture an astonishing level of detail in the large-format prints that he produces for collectors around the world.
A master of long-exposure photography technique, Andrew utilizes exposure times of up to ten minutes to capture his subjects. The resulting images have an ethereal quality that elevates them from the world as we see it.
Andrew’s recent work has included experimental photography series such as Inverted and Metropolis Abstracted, which utilize architectural abstraction and negative imagery to convey a bold new vision of a place.
Andrew’s photography has been widely published and awarded at the Prix de la Photographie, Paris (Px3), the International Photography Awards (Lucies), American Photography 31, Latin American Fotografia, Neutral Density Awards, the Epson International Pano Awards, and others. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York, Palm Springs Art Museum, 21_21 Design Sight Museum in Tokyo, Banco do Brasil Culture Space, and in galleries and corporate fine art collections in the USA and Europe.
Andrew regularly accepts commissions for clients in advertising, property development, design, and industry. Prior commissions include photography for Cisco Systems, Evraz, HBO, and the New York City Economic Development Corp. Andrew is a voting member of the American Society of Media Photographers. He welcomes inquiries regarding photo shoots, fine art print sales, exhibitions, and image licensing requests.
Visit: andrewprokos.com | Instagram: @andrewprokos
