Espanya Ens Roba

Player

Hello,

Would love some C&C on this image shot a few years ago in Valencia, Spain. Original shot wasn't great expose but tried to adjust to bring out the texture of the broken tile facade and of course the graffiti. Sky was totally blown out so nothing I could do about that, but I think the pure which gives it even more of an abstract look. What do you think?

Richard

Neat shot of a neat building. I haven't seen it in person, but I love all the Calatrava stuff I've seen. If you were going for abstract, though, I think you would have been better off without the graffiti. It's Catalan for "Spain robs us," a familiar political slogan. The architecture almost looks like an alien spacecraft, but the graffiti brings it down to earth in a hurry.

Player

Thanks Richard. I see what you're suggesting and partly agree. But for me, the graffiti makes it!

I got some interesting commentary on another forum with this shot from some Spaniards who were also frustrated with the Spanish governments funding choices. They felt the money spent subsidizing these buildings on more strait forward social programs or economic development.

I also stepped on a dead dove immediately after snapping this, which I believe was part of their "visual protest." Absolutely don't agree with killing a dove but it was pretty crazy to experience... just stumbling upon all of it by accident right before the police showed up. Luckily I didn't get questioned.

Richard

Player wrote: »

Thanks Richard. I see what you're suggesting and partly agree. But for me, the graffiti makes it!

I got some interesting commentary on another forum with this shot from some Spaniards who were also frustrated with the Spanish governments funding choices. They felt the money spent subsidizing these buildings on more strait forward social programs or economic development.

I also stepped on a dead dove immediately after snapping this, which I believe was part of their "visual protest." Absolutely don't agree with killing a dove but it was pretty crazy to experience... just stumbling upon all of it by accident right before the police showed up. Luckily I didn't get questioned.

Oh, I like the graffiti too. It sets this apart from the typical architectural shot. My only point was that it works against abstraction. Which is fine with me.