these colossal telescopes sit amidst the lonely martian expanses of chile’s atacama desert

in the vast reaches of chile’s lonely atacama desert lies the the largest optical-infrared observatory in the southern hemisphere. the atacama is the driest desert in the world. with no light pollution, cloud cover, or drops of moisture in the air, this otherworldly place offers optimal conditions to peer into the distant realms of space. it is here that the european southern observatory operates the four unit ‘very large telescope’ (VLT) facility. the sophisticated technical structures which occupy this sterile landscape perfectly suit the language of photographer benedict redgrove.

all images courtesy of studio INK and benedict redgrove

benedict redgrove, a lover of all things technical, is an image maker committed to a contemporary aesthetic. throughout his career of over 20 years he has been dedicated to a modernist depiction of industry, seeking out subjects the verge on the banal. at paranal observatory the four colossal telescopes disrupt the vast horizons of the atacama desert’s sweeping, martian landscape. as each of the four units was designed with its own specific function, the image of the facility is entirely utilitarian. redgrove, with his distinctive attention to detail and minimalist aesthetic, finds an artful beauty in this technical facility.

benedict worked closely with london-based creative studio INK on the project. together, the images define the clean look that communicates the mass of technology held at paranal. the series was a collaboration for wired UK’s july/august issue.

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