Abstract landscape, a photo from Ile-de-France, North

Photographer's Note

Abstract landscape

Vassilakis Takis’s sculptures are visible on the photo, The signals.

In 1955 influenced by the invention of the radar and the technological landscape of the station of Calais, Takis constructs his first Signal sculpture.
Takis' Signals are his most renowned trademark. They are an ongoing series of tall rods springing from a base on the ground and tapering towards a finial at the top. Generally speaking, these finials are of particular symbolic significance and consist of either sculptures or found-objects. The sculptures are various elements, whose form and shape evoke primordial symbols. In response to their interpretation, Takis said: «I am responsible only for manufacturing the symbols. Their meaning depends for interpretation on each and every one of us.»

Vassilakis Takis (born October 25, 1925)Greek sculptor and kinetic artist, his works can be found in many public locations around Paris. From 1954 he worked in Paris, but in later years he divided his time between Paris and Athens. Self-taught as a sculptor, he first made pieces carved in wood (untraced) and plaster, followed by abstractions from the human form, some in wrought iron, such as Sphinx. From 1958 his main concern was with the use of magnetism and electromagnetism to create both visual effects and movement in kinetic sculptures such as the Télésculpture series. These feature nails and other small metal objects at the ends of wires that appear to float in the air a short distance away from a magnet. The Signals series, which later inspired the name of a London art gallery and its journal, was initiated in the mid-1950s. The early ones are tall antennae made of one or more flexible metal stems, fixed on a small base and surmounted by a found metal object; later variants include the Signals Multiples, which feature flashing lights.

La Défense

La Défense is a major business district for the city of Paris. With a population of 20,844, it is centered in an oval freeway loop straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux. The district is at the westernmost extremity of Paris' 10 km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Central Paris and continues along the Champs-Élysées, well beyond the Arc de Triomphe before culminating at La Défense.
Around its 110-metre (360 ft)-high Grande Arche and esplanade ("le Parvis"), the district holds many of the Paris urban area's tallest high-rises. With its 77.5 acres (314,000 m2), its 72 glass-and-steel slick buildings including 14 high-rises above 150 metres (490 ft), its 150,000 daily workers and 3.5 million square metres (37.7 million sq ft) of office space, La Défense is Europe's largest purpose-built business district. (Source: Takisart & wikipedia)

snunney, npecanhuk, dip, pauloog, KLB, besnard, paura, jjcordier, maglex, jlbrthnn, JT50, vasilpro, gildasjan, csabagaba, amaryllis, carlosmarin, danos, pasternak, Charo, windosil has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Juzo (3031) 2010-02-06 2:25

Hi George,
Wow, what a fantastic shot! The graphic effect really drew me in. Very insteresting streetscape and I love the light , colour tone and shadows as well.
Regards
Justin

mauro61 (53411) 2010-02-06 2:27

ciao george,
bella composizione in cui il taglio e il cromatismo hanno un ruolo fondamentale.
L'inclusione dei soggetti anima e vivacizza la scena.
un caro saluto
maurizio

npecanhuk (79329) 2010-02-06 2:34

Hi George!
Very interesting urban elements in a very well composed image! Exposure, sharpness, colors, pov and vertical format are all excellent features in this photo too! It's original, unique and beautiful! A Paris we're not used to see and it's pretty welcome for its amazing beauty!
TFS - congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

snunney (130967) 2010-02-06 2:35

Hello George,
A splendid graphical image; the signals rising vertically, the steps crossing horizontally. I am glad you waited for the people to come into frame; they offer a human element and a sense of scale. Excellent light and tonal contrasts and superb clarity complete a fine piece of photographic art.

dip (23892) 2010-02-06 2:40

Hi George,
what a wonderful composition!
excellent composed and framed,
indeed abstract,very well done!
greetings,
Dimitris.

imtiyaz (1005) 2010-02-06 2:44

Excellent shot,
Balanced light maintenance.

Regards,
Imti.

CLODO (45094) 2010-02-06 2:45

Hi George
Amazing scene, with these strange sculptures and their winding shadows. Good idea to wait for a human passage to give the csale.
regards
CLODO

pauloog (11751) 2010-02-06 2:52

Hello George,
A somewhat surrealistic city landscape whereby the verticalism of the sculptures is enhanced by the lining of the wall. The human profiles add depth and scale.
Regards,
Paul

KLB (23723) 2010-02-06 2:53

Hi George

I remember having seen this place presented by Morac a few months ago. Very attractive for photographers, indeed ;o)

You've caught a marvelous light here and that makes the difference. The comforting tone of your shot is marvelous and the modern architecture seems a little less "cold".
The lonely couple is a great bonus in this enigmatic world.
Compliments.

Regards
Karine

besnard (59196) 2010-02-06 3:01

Bonjour George
Un superbe cliché graphique et intelligemment réalisé.
Merci pour le partage et bon week-end.
Nicole

Bluejeans (64251) 2010-02-06 3:03

Ola George,
Que bela composição vertical com estas brocas , muito interessante a parede de fundo tem uma bela textura , boa inclusão das duas pessoas , boa luz dourada , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Bom fim de semana

Morac (27725) 2010-02-06 3:04

Bonjour George,
Excellente idée d'avoir été regarder derrière la Grande Arche.
Cette réalisation est splendide.
Je vois que tu auras profité au maximum de ton séjour à Paris
Cordialement
Marc

gilou530 (34) 2010-02-06 3:10

salut george
format vertical qui donne encore plus de longueur a ces sculptures sous une lumiére magnifique, bon boulot
amitiés
gilbert

smarcell (19965) 2010-02-06 3:24

Very good image. The inclusion of the human figures was the right thing to do. I like the underexposure too.
Regards Stefano

paura (25802) 2010-02-06 4:00

George,
Resultado gráfico absolutamente interessante, amigo. Bonito trabalho.

Abraço

Paulo

TopGeo (38220) 2010-02-06 4:49

Hi George, beautiful shot with excellent composed and framed, and crop of architecture perfect art too! Best combination of colours! of what a wonderful feeling of it is artistic,is well designed with compo simply and elegant,

thank you for your sharing
Geo..

evojim (180) 2010-02-06 4:54

Awsome composition!! The human figures give sense of scale.

Jim

jjcordier (79299) 2010-02-06 4:56

George
Cet escalier de la Défense a les faveurs des photographes locaux. L'originalité de la photo est d'y avoir inclus ces sculptures.
Amicalement
JJ

Leconte (5795) 2010-02-06 5:14

Hello George,

a creation in an another creation, beautiful composition and design in a warm light, impressive vertical framing,

best regards,
Valérie.

rikko77 (10861) 2010-02-06 5:15

Hi George
great urban shot, very graphical, with a great light. Beautiful those two silhouettes. Wish you a good day!
Rikk

diomed (13926) 2010-02-06 5:49

Hi George,
what can I say: " simply fantastic!!!"
Vertical frame, graphical impact, contrast, POV, light, shadows... Everything fantastic!!
Congratulations!
Nice WE
Antonio

maglex (1980) 2010-02-06 6:06

Hi George, love the abstraction and the motion somehow bizarre. Thanks for sharing, Alex

jlbrthnn (76041) 2010-02-06 6:18

Hello George,
One communicates and one vibrates by looking at these signals. These two people appear being human of the future in this abstraction. It is well seen, and very pleasant to see. Congratulations.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

ymrk (15099) 2010-02-06 6:30

the photo have a glamarous affect of move.Models are on very right position indeed..Regards my friend,

Yağmur

delpeoples (60326) 2010-02-06 7:08

Hi George, a beautifully seen and shot photo. The photo is superbly anstract and yet the inclusion of the people givesd us context and perspective. Excellent sharpness and colour rendering. TFS and enjoy your day, Lisa

quillo (11858) 2010-02-06 7:17

♥

Hola George ----->

The framing is magnificent, you have played very well with the modernist sculptures with the persons, the result is special, an artistic and agreeable work.

Congratulations.

Un saludo.

♥

JT50 (1491) 2010-02-06 7:53

Hi George,
A very intresting photo. As soon as you see the
thumbnail, you become curious as to what it is?.
Very original composition with good graphism.
Fine patterns formed by the shadows.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Janak

vasilpro (41801) 2010-02-06 12:27

Hello George,
Excellent graphic composition, excellent colors and lighting, excellent POV, interesting modern art.
Have a nice Sunday, Vasilis.

Pentti (1469) 2010-02-06 12:30

Hi George,
Great place and sculpture.
A difficult one for composition with slightly diverging lines etc.
You have managed it well.

gildasjan (43826) 2010-02-06 12:48

Bonsoir George
Un classique de la Défense graphique avec ces objets contemporains.Bien vu d'avoir intégrer ces deux personnages dans la composition.
Bonne soirée
Amicalement
gildas

AiresSantos (56155) 2010-02-06 15:06

Hi George
What a great picture !
It goes to my favorites...
Very well seen, framed and done
Have a nice Sunday
Aires

albertz (2468) 2010-02-06 21:59

The wall, stairs and poles assembles an interesting form of art. You got an eye of an artist George and this one proves it.

jurek1951 (42198) 2010-02-06 23:19

Hi George,
Excellent point of view and the presence of two people.
Beautiful colors, very good lighting.
Very well done and framed,
Georg

csabagaba (6638) 2010-02-07 3:12

Szia Gyuri! A fotó jobb mint amit megörökítettél.Ezek az elcsigázott csigák kicsit távol állnak tőlem, de a fotókompozició totál jó. A két emberke nagyon kellett ide. Továbbra is gyönyörűek a sárgáid, aranyai, barnáid...

Csaba

Silvio1953 (205826) 2010-02-07 6:12

Ciao George, fantastic abstract composition, superb graphic, very well done, have a good Sunday, ciao Silvio

jrleborgne (1554) 2010-02-07 6:24

Bonjour George,

Cette composition élégante me fait penser beaucoup au peintre catalan Joan Miro.
Merci pour ce coup d'oeil.
Jean-Renaud

amaryllis (37047) 2010-02-07 9:59

bonjour Georg
un très bon moment choisi pour faire cette photo dont le rendu graphique est superbe, les ombres, l'escalier et la présence de ces deux silhouettes
le cadrage vertical convient de plus à cette présentation
juliette

carlosmarin (11954) 2010-02-07 15:58

Hello George,
Fantastic composition of the Vassilakis Takis sculptures at La Defense, with its projections on the stairs.
Nice colors.
Best regards,
Carlos

danos (110407) 2010-02-08 0:28

Good morning George,
excellent presentation of this abstract art work of Takis,the very well known sculptor here in Athens, as Paris too of course.I like the contrast of the black sculptures with the background wall.Informative your note as well.

Have a nice week,Danos

pasternak (15185) 2010-02-10 1:40

This is really nice, George, very graphical with nice light, nice also to include this couple among all the verticals...

Cheers
A

Charo (51290) 2010-02-10 16:48

Hello George,
The image is magnificent and unique with excellent graphics. I like the vertical format and the people who stroll among the sculptures. Beautiful work!
Best regards,
Charo

swiatopelk777 (0) 2010-02-11 0:52

Hi George!
Wonderful pair. Amazing modern architecture. Original composition. Superb capture. Perfect shot. Great effect.
Greetings from Warszawa!

windosil (1158) 2010-02-27 15:33

Hallo, George.
At first I thought this was a beautiful modern tapestry. Now I see it is even more interesting and just as beautiful. It must have been a very difficult shot to take. Well done, and thanks for sharing,
Winifred

ilghiz (708) 2011-12-25 2:28

Nice graphic effect, rather amusing.
The design looks retrofuturistic
as if it were a cover of a sci fi magazine of 1930s.