International architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) recenlty announced the inaugural exhibition at its new gallery space in central London, a celebration of the work of German artist and architectural photographer Hans‐Georg Esch. Shown in the UK for the first time, the exhibition presents a selection of photographs taken from Esch’s ‘Cities Unknown’ series. More images and information on the exhibition after the break.
Visiting China frequently since 1997, Esch has witnessed en passant the country’s unprecedented and fast‐paced development. Fascinated that cities such as Chongqing, despite having over 32 million inhabitants, remain virtually unknown in the western world, he sought to document China’s rapidly growing megacities. By focusing his lens on the lesser known cities, such as Chongqing, Tianjin, or Shenyang, instead of concentrating on familiar metropolises such as Beijing or Shanghai, Esch offers a unique look at the most populous country in the world.
The series, however, is more than just the documentation of the ‘unknown’ cities of the People’s Republic—it is also an arresting demonstration of a nation’s epic self‐staging of ambition and power. The striking ensembles of large‐format urban photographs look as if they were taken in flight, and enmesh viewers in a confusion of lines, exposing them to a range of different visual impressions.
Paul Katz, KPF’s Managing Principal, said: “We are honoured to present the work of H. G. Esch in the first exhibition at our new London gallery space. Esch’s impressive photographs capture the complexity of China and the remarkable growth of its cities over the past 15 years. This is of particular interest to us as KPF has been on the forefront of the urban density movement over the last three decades, providing design for some of the most progressive and complex projects, whether entirely new sustainable cities or super‐tall towers.”
The exhibition will run until March 16th at 7a Langley Street, London, WC2H 9JA. The gallery will be open to the public from 9am to 6pm, Monday through Friday.
