Rusty nails, mechanical chains and railings of fire escapes are not normally assessed for their artistic value.
Photographer Robert Schulman, Ph.D., prefers to think of them as the building blocks that exemplify the beauty of the structures they support. The result is a collection of captivating pieces that showcase Buffalo's evolving architectural splendor.
Appropriately titled "Enrapture," Schulman's exhibit was inspired by his appreciation for the rich culture of Buffalo. The collection is currently being exhibited at Gallery 51, located on Elmwood Avenue.
"I've lived in Buffalo for 34 years, love the architecture, art, music, neighborhoods, and neighbors," Schulman said. "The communities, living spaces and environment are changing. It's easy to see what's evolved, for better and worse."
This evolution is seen through Schulman's pieces, with subjects ranging from the concrete structure of buildings to more abstract, detailed pictures of the elements that constitute them.
"I discover the components of my photos in vintage, industrial and modern architecture with the close-up details contained therein," Schulman said.
"Hex," presumably a close-up shot of an industrial edifice, displays Schulman's talent of turning the ordinary into striking art. With photos comprised of the nuts and bolts, bright pinks, greens and blues capture the youthfulness of an architectural structure, while the rusting of the machinery exposes its age. It is as though Schulman aims to preserve the beauty of Buffalo's structures while they last, to connect the thread between beauty and decay.
Three different takes edited into one photograph result in "Chains." The subject, a mechanical chain most likely from a bicycle, is entwined to create an aesthetic image with hints of grass piecing through. It diverts the viewer's mind away from realizing the concreteness of a bicycle chain, and rather flaunts what beauty can be found in such an inanimate object.
"Lakefront III" takes three buildings and contorts them in a way that allows them to flow freely through the frame. There is softness to this work that counteracts the harshness of the bland, brown buildings. Schulman's admiration for Buffalo's architecture visually translates through this piece, as the manipulations successfully interpret his view to the audience.
The upbeat tone of "Blues" expresses a jazzy aspect of the culture of Buffalo shown through the prism of architecture. A bright blue painted house is coupled with a snapshot of a jazz poster in this mural-like photograph. This composition evokes an optimistic and vivacious feeling while maintaining a vintage appearance. Buffalo's evolutionary urban culture is captured well in this work.
"Viewing Buffalo's architecture in such a broken-down way makes me realize its charisma and significance to the city," said Lauren Madoff, a junior speech and hearing major. "I really enjoyed his collection."
The lifespan of the subjects displayed in this collection may be unknown, but Schulman succeeds in discovering their beauty in the moment.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
