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New York · New York Public Library, New York · 2024
Two Lanterns, A Staircase
by Davide Terrile
The light from two lanterns marks the space of a monumental marble staircase. The eye follows the lines of the handrails, ascending towards a corridor or descending towards a barely hinted-at ground floor, along a path defined by the structure. The geometry of the frame selects a fragment of the space, allowing the architecture to complete itself off-screen.
A medium aperture (f/3.5) for a normal lens (50mm) separates the planes and blurs the handrail in the foreground. Selective focus falls on the staircase and the more distant lantern, creating a visual path that leads into the space.