TITLE: Conveying Space

Conveying Space captures the atmospheric qualities of architecture and emphasises the interaction between structure and natural light. Holfeld’s photographs help us to rediscover fleeting moments of visual access, manifested in tightly cropped details. Through careful positioning and calculated framing, Holfeld illuminates the subtleties and nuances in architecture, while exploring the profession beyond its commercial appeal.
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Choosing to work under cloudless skies and high sun sets the intention for Holfeld’s practice while having a transformative effect on the architecture. Deep shadows and powerful illumination reveal clearly defined lines and crisp geometric shapes, which abstract his surroundings into graphical vistas turning the utilitarian into the iconic. To achieve this, he crops building parts out of context, zooms in on architectural detail or isolates certain building features thereby creating, in the process, strong geometrical compositions that have a life of their own. Steps and lampposts, for example, shed their functional role to become two-dimensional flourishes while elsewhere façade segments lose their scale to become graphical abstractions.
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In an intimate and powerful contemplation Holfeld’s images provide access to a new look at the built legacy of University College Dublin; deconstructing the elemental components of architecture, transforming the rebar, concrete and stucco of its buildings to change the way we think about the structures themselves.

AUTHOR: Daniel Holfeld (Ireland)

Born in Dublin (1984), Daniel Holfeld grew up in Ireland and graduated with a BA [Hons] degree in photography from Dublin’s Institute of Technology in 2008.

Holfeld has always gravitated towards large open spaces, developing a passion and admiration of the complex language of architecture. His earliest success came after graduation when he was invited to participate in the New York photo festival with his work on the abandoned factory space of Barbour Campbell Threads Ltd in Lisburn. This series went on to nominate Holfeld within the best emerging photographer category.

From 2016 onwards Holfeld spent two years documenting Arabic architecture across Morocco, which he debuted in 2018. For his work, Holfeld received an honourable mention from the International Photography Awards in 2019 and was hand selected by Saatchi curators to exhibit in London’s The Other Art Fair in 2018.

Earlier in 2020 Holfeld debuted his new series The Space Between in the Royal Institute of Architecture of Ireland and later returned to London to show the series in the Royal Institute of British Architects. This new work marks a development of his practice to incorporate colour and modernist architecture. The exhibition of photographs taken across Spain and Portugal draw their inspiration from the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragán.

Currently Holfeld has launched his recent exhibition Conveying Space at University College Dublin. For this work Holfeld was commissioned by UCD to respond and interpret the iconic architecture found on campus to commemorate Belfield 50.

Solo Exhibition
2020, The Royal Institute of British Architects, The Space Between, London
2020, The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, The Space Between, Dublin
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Recent Group Shows
2020, The Performer, Millepiani, Rome, Italy.
2019, The Royal Art Prize, Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, London, United Kingdom.
2018, The Other Art Fair hosted by Saatchi Art, London, United Kingdom.
2018, Art & Style, Selfridges Brown Thomas, Dublin, Ireland.
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Collections
Royal Institute of British Architects Permanent Collection
Arab Irish Chamber of Commerce Permanent Collection

Awards
2020, International Photography Awards, Abstract Architecture, Win
2019, International Photography Awards, Honourable Mention.
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Residencies
2020, University College Dublin, Dublin