Ever wanted to see a castle in the clouds? PRT, photographer Simone Hutsch’s latest architectural series, transforms the city of Porto into a floating pastel confection worthy of a Wes Anderson film.
Hutsch’s photography is all about location. Native to Berlin and now based in London, her work spans both cities, as well as Porto, the ancient Portuguese city that lends its name to the sweet, syrupy wine we call port. The city is known for its offbeat blend of architectural styles: Gothic spires butt up against Baroque interiors and Romanesque cathedrals. Carts jostle over narrow cobblestone streets, while gilded carvings gleam on every corner. Painted in cotton-candy colors, the city is “accidentally Wes Anderson,” even before Hutsch adds her signature digital edits. “Porto's traditional buildings are perfect to create a surreal, pastel dreamworld with clouds,” she says of PRT.
A trained graphic designer, Hutsch—who works under the pseudonym heysupersimi—creates immaculate compositions with clean linework. Near-symmetrical shots, compulsively organized elements, and a forced sense of perspective create a flat depth of field, as though we’re looking at a pastel storybook illustration or a theater set. Hutsch is acutely aware of the playful artifice in her photos; in fact, she heightens the illusion with every edit, inviting us to indulge the fantasy.
“Having an image of the final piece is key when I take a picture,” says Hutsch, mentally manipulating her works before they ever reach a computer. “When I’m outside with my camera, I see the world around me with a different eye.” Conceptual to the core, PRT proves this is Hutsch’s dreamworld—we’re just living in it.
“Porto's traditional buildings are perfect to create a surreal, pastel dreamworld with clouds.” — Simone Hutsch, aka heysupersimi
PRT
Simone Hutsch (aka heysupersimi): Website | Instagram | Twitter
All photos published with permission of the artist.
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