Martin Thomas - Untitled

This analog photograph was taken in 1981 in Berlin (West Berlin) during Martin Thomas's first major collaborative project after his studies. The photo shows a monumental, weathered factory door embedded in a raw brick wall, typical of the industrial architecture of the early 20th century. It reflects the transitional period in which old European industrial areas became vacant. Characteristic features include the clean, symmetrical, and frontal composition. The large, planar glass surface above the tripartite doors reinforces the graphic structure and rhythm of the image. The doors bear a characteristic, weathered greenish-blue and purplish layer of oxidation (patina). A sharp, diagonal shadow falls across the right side of the door, adding depth to the otherwise flat and two-dimensional character of the frontal shot.
Martin Thomas took the photograph as part of the project Fronto, the Praise of Smoke and Dust: A Journey Through Gardens in Europe (1981) , in which he collaborated with Dutch photographer and media artist Gérald van der Kaap. The project consisted of a series of twenty photographs exploring the boundary between culture, decay, and constructed environments. It marked the absolute launch of their professional careers.

Camera : The photo was taken with an analog Rolleiflex camera on 6×6 medium format slide film. The extremely sharp details in the masonry and the perfect frontal geometry are characteristic of the high-quality Zeiss or Schneider lenses of this classic twin-lens camera.


Print: Cibachrome print (later known as Ilfochrome), a unique analog photo process in which printing is performed directly from slide film (such as the 6×6 slide material of the Rollei) onto a polyester support.

Color contrast : The green door forms the colorful, central eye-catcher within a likely gray, dusty, or natural environment (such as a stone wall, ivy, or leaves). Green symbolizes nature, but here it concerns painted, man-made material that contrasts with the real nature in the garden.

NB To prevent damage during transport, the photo is delivered without a frame and passe-partout. Framed delivery is only possible when picking up at the location.