TOM BLACHFORD

 

These beautiful photos are part of Melbourne photographer Tom Blachford’s “Midnight Modern” series. Using long exposures and the supernatural glow of a super moon Tom reveals iconic Palm Springs architecture in a totally new way.

I’m a huge fan of California's famous mid-century modernist homes, I think you’ve all noticed that. Palm Springs has the largest concentration of mid-
century modern architecture. Since the 1920’s, architects have designed sleek, modern homes that have embraced the desert environment. The  sensational surroundings of the Coachella Valley inspired a design aesthetic in the middle of the 20th Century, now called Desert Modernism.

And although these houses were photographed a lot during the last 60 or 70 years, Blachford’s shots are are truly remarkable and fresh. They explore the relationship between the midnight glow of a super moon, dramatic rooftops of the houses and beautiful mountains in the background. Arts writer Gabriella Coslovich perfectly describes the evocative nature of Tom’s work:

.  .  .


The surrounding hills and desert vegetation appear like sentinels in the emptiness. There is a sense of unease: cracks in the road, long shadows,
a solitary light left on. Heavy with heat and silence, his photographs have
an ambiguity, a mystery, a tension. They are like a story about to start,
end, or implode…

 

.  .  .

The exhibition Midnight Modern opened on the 2nd of October at Modern Times, in Melbourne. Pieces are also listed for sale on their website, so be sure to check them out.