For the remainder of the month, Baird Studio on Christian Street is hosting “Dutch Photo,” an exhibition of photographs taken by LSU professors Tom Sofranko and Paul Dean during a trip to the Netherlands.
Sofranko visited the Netherlands last spring and encouraged Dean to go.
“We both went to Amsterdam as part of our travels, so that was the overlap,” said Dean, an associate art professor. “Tom was really bragging about it, so I was excited to go.”
Each of the professors visited the Netherlands with different goals last year as part of his sabbatical. The trips proved to be inspirational experiences on both occasions.
“My trip was a sabbatical proposal concerning the struggle with coastline erosion and storm protection,” said Sofranko, an associate architecture professor. “Since the Netherlands and Southern Louisiana have the same topographic and geographic conditions, I thought it would be interesting to go look at the architectural and engineering responses to that.”
Sofranko’s photos were carefully calculated shots dealing with structure and landscape, but some photo opportunities arose unexpectedly.
“I knew some places I wanted to go,” Sofranko said. “But in the process there were things I stumbled upon that became the subject of my photography. I was looking for any of the conditions that represented the architectural and cultural response to the environment.”
A different technique allowed Sofranko to capture a unique perspective of the country.
“I used 125mm film, so the negatives were bigger,” Sofranko said. “That size allowed more to happen in the pictures. From a distance, you get the general idea of the picture, but as you get closer, you start to discover all kinds of details that you don’t see in a smaller photo.”
Sofranko wanted to make sure he didn’t neglect the people of the land, so the detail of the film helped him capture that also.
“Sometimes architects are accused of forgetting about the people that are supposed to be in the buildings,” Sofranko said. “What I like about the pictures is, since they’re so big you start to look through the windows and you see the lives of the people.”
Dean had no intention of displaying the photos he took. He was interested in keepsakes, but an artful quality seeped through the pictures.
“Mine were meant to be more casual, just things I wanted to remember,” Dean said. “But it can’t help but reveal that I’m a graphic designer, because it’s pictures of typography, posters and signage.”
Dean’s entire trip was much more casually absorbent, as he was visiting mainly out of hearsay.
“I had heard it was the new painting capital of the world,” Dean said. “And I found that it really became an art and design mecca. Everything is carefully done and communicates really well. It’s a fantastic country and culture.”
The care and passion in the aesthetic nature of the culture also awed Sofranko.
“The Dutch people had some cities severely bombed in World War II,” Sofranko said. “For instance, Rotterdam is virtually brand new. But their government took on the mission of supporting the young architects and taking control of its architectural environment. I was most impressed by that difference in their culture.”
David Baird, an associate architecture professor, said he is proud to host the show at his studio.
“What’s amazing to me is how two people can go to the same place and see two completely different things,” said Baird. “That’s the powerful part of the show.”
“Dutch Photo” runs through April 30 at Baird Studio, which is located at 2241 Christian Street. Visits can be made by appointment by calling 344-1242.