alastair philip wiper captures the monumental ‘unintended beauty’ of the industrial world
the images represent the unending vastness of a factory floor, and the great complexity of a single, highly specific piece of machinery.
with a new book and exhibition ‘unintended beauty,’ british photographer alastair philip wiper presents an exploration of the vast and little-known spaces of industry. the work is a continuation of the artist’s fascination with symmetry, linear density, and the beauty of functional perfection. traveling across the world, alastair philip wiper frames scenes of machinery which, to most, appear to depict mysterious systems and objects with a vibrancy and a quality of inherent abstraction. in this way the photographer reveals the aesthetic and unfamiliar origin of the usual consumer items of our everyday lives.
absolut vodka distillery, sweden | all images © alastair philip wiper
with his series ‘unintended beauty,’ alastair philip wiper reveals unrecognizable systems of industry and monumental objects of machinery. on view at MADD bordeaux, the collection depicts the results of human ingenuity which have been continually evolving across millenia, through trial and error. the images brings forth to the viewer an acute awareness of how unfamiliar these systems are, which produce such familiar items. in his book, now available for purchase, alastair philip wiper quotes the late american astronomer carl sagan: ‘we live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.’
aurora nordic medicinal cannabis greenhouse, denmark
alastair philip wiper’s ‘unintended beauty’ offers a complex and inorganic collection of geometries and patterning. the images represent the unending vastness of a factory floor, and the great complexity which might make up a single, highly specific piece of machinery. on the production floor of toy company playmobil, the photographer captures an intricate network of pipes and tubing, seemingly complex but with a clear logic. this machine, known as ‘the octopus,’ sucks plastic pellets around the factory. in the forward of ‘unintended beauty,’ theoretical physicist marcelo gleiser elaborates: ‘alastair philip wiper calls to our attention the sheer awesomeness of our machines, big and small. the story being told here, of human inventiveness, is one of triumph and drama.’
alastair philip wiper’s ‘unintended beauty’ is on view now through january 3rd, 2021 at MADD bordeaux.
sex doll workshop, realdoll, USA
circular knitting machine at kvadrat febrik’s innofa textile mill, netherlands
maersk triple E container ship under construction, daewoo shipbuilding & marine engineering (DSME), south korea
odeillo solar furnace, france, 2012
radio anechoic chamber, technical university of denmark
adidas superstar shoes being produced, indonesia
‘the octopus,’ a machine that sucks plastic pellets around the factory, playmobil, malta
‘unintended beauty’ by alastair philip wiper
photographer alastair philip wiper
project info:
series title: unintended beauty
photography: alastair philip wiper
exhibition location: MADD bordeaux
exhibition date: june 18th, 2020 — january 3rd 2021
book: ‘unintended beauty’ available for purchase
