Nikolas Ventourakis

Greek artist Nikolas Ventourakis presents ‘BRDG 5’ as part of a new series, mostly consisting of a collection of urban architecture photographs. In his photographic series, he takes detailed photographs, in this case of the iconic 6th Street Viaduct in Los Angeles. The viaduct is an acclaimed monument and has been widely used in cinema, american literature and photography. The structure was famously used in the 1978 film ‘Grease’. The bridge connects the Boyle Heights neighbourhood with the Arts District in Downtown LA. However, the demolition of the structure currently severely impacts the local community there. Ventourakis immortalises the bridge in his capturing of it, in particular focusing on details of the structure. In his artwork ‘BRDG 5’ , Ventourakis depicts a poignant memory of the structure that is no longer in existence, through a personalised lens.

Ventourakis took these urban architecture photographs whilst in Los Angeles for his Fulbright Scholarship in 2014. Specifically, this series is one of 5 photographic projects that relate to his time in LA, as well as his series ‘La Petite Morte Americaine’ and ‘Motel’. As well as this, Ventourakis predominantly creates works that challenge viewer’s assumptions. As an artist, he often builds and works from a personal photographic archive.