“Temporary Constructions” Reception Breaks Ground

Thank you to friends, photography lovers and passersby who came out Thursday night for the opening reception for “Temporary Constructions”. What a great crowd! Congratulations to Stirling Elmendorf and Mark Parascandola on their striking collaborative exhibition.

Mark Parascandola, Nevin Kelly and Stirling Elmendorf

Mark Parascandola and guest

Stirling Elmendorf and friends

Here is a snippet from a statement that Stirling and Mark prepared for the show:

“Monumental man-made structures suggest a confidence in the future and the human capacity to conquer the natural environment. However, their seemingly timeless presence belies the reality that even the most ambitious of constructions are subject to the same natural and man-made forces of decay, destruction, and transformation. The images presented here highlight the contrast between two extremes -- the idealized, abstract elements of innovative, contemporary buildings, versus the complex, textured surfaces of decaying structures, revealing changes in human priorities and the impact of time and the natural environment. In these scenes, new architectural elements appear detached from their surrounding environment and devoid of human presence. In turn, the aged structures are captivating not so much for the architectural ideals behind them but for the accumulation of imprints that serve as evidence of the activity of the human and natural world.”

Installation shot of the show

“Temporary Constructions” is a must see on your tour of FotoWeek DC and will be on view through November 23rd.