Andreas Gursky, Paris, Montparnasse, 1993 (Andreas Gursky/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2015; Courtesy of Sprüth Magers)

Gursky, Andreas. Paris, Montparnasse. 1993. BBC, Jason Farago, www.bbc.com/culture/article/20151106-andreas-gursky-the-bigger-the-better.

 

The photographer might have been interested in capturing：
  • The structure and design of the building
  • The variety of windows and their contents
  • Curtains, furniture, and window treatments

 

If I were the photographer, I would title this photo “Mosaic Building”. The message conveyed by this title is that this building is a collection of individual lives and styles, like a mosaic made up of different pieces that come together to form a larger image.

 

The most obvious formal elements in this photo are lines, shapes, and patterns:
  • Lines: The horizontal and vertical lines formed by the windows and frames form a grid
  • Shapes: Rectangular shapes dominate the image, both in the windows and the overall architectural design
  • Patterns: The arrangement of the windows and the repetition of shapes form a regular pattern