7.Photograph 27
Nobody finds ordinary staircases appealing. This picture probably shows an over-the-top effort at designing a distinctive and striking staircase, stretching the bounds of utility and maybe safety. The picture most likely shows a staircase more suited for art exhibition than for practical methods of floor to floor mobility. Maybe it’s a floating staircase with hardly visible steps or a spiral staircase that corkscrews so tightly it’s almost impossible to negotiate. The photographer has caught the conflict between creative design and common use, therefore underlining our occasionally illogical need for originality in house decoration. This image could be the outcome of a homeowner or designer trying to make a big statement in a tiny area or of visual impact being valued more highly than practicality. It can also be a funny observation on the extent people will go to be unique in the field of interior design. The picture reminds us that, even if home design innovation can be fascinating, it shouldn’t compromise fundamental functioning. It asks visitors to consider how best to strike the mix between aesthetics and utility in their own homes and maybe value the straightforward efficiency of a well-designed, traditional staircase.
8.Photograph 28
Everything should, it seems, be the reverse here. This picture most certainly shows a scenario of wonderful absurdity in home design or renovation, where conventional knowledge has been inverted. The picture most likely shows a room or location where conventional architectural features have been comically inverted or absent. Maybe it’s a kitchen with appliances set upside down, a living room with ceiling-mounted furniture, or a bathroom with all of the fixtures on the incorrect walls. The photographer has brilliantly caught this topsy-turvy world, stressing the humour that results from our assumptions of home environments being utterly challenged. This scene might be the outcome of a prankster’s makeover, an art installation examining ideas of perspective and expectation, or just a sequence of amazing mistakes that somehow combined into a coherent theme of reversal. Whatever the reason, the picture reminds us gently not to treat our living areas too seriously. It asks visitors to consider artistically the possibilities for unusual design in their own houses as well as to picture the pragmatic difficulties of negotiating such a backwards room. The picture finally honours the delight of the unexpected in home settings, reminding us that perhaps the most unforgettable places are those that test our assumptions.
zi ang