Arco de la Victoria
Moncloa, Madrid, Spain.
I took this long exposure photo in March 2015 while studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. My approach to taking the photo was to combine the modern elements of vehicles and traffic with this not so modern landmark at the center of it all. I chose to make it a long exposure photo to emphasise the stillness of the landmark in comparison to the vehicles and traffic, representing modern life's characteristics of speed and quickness. This landmark in Spain interested me greatly because:
1. I had never visited Madrid before so I instantly compared the architectural style present in Madrid to the style in London.
2. This landmark was ordered to be made by the Spanish military dictator, Francisco Franco after his troops defeated the second Spanish republic. It still stands to this day. Around Madrid, there are road names and other landmarks that hark back to Francoist Spain. Most people in Spain don't speak favorably about Franco (how could you?) yet these monuments still stand, in plain sight.
Landmarks, in general, interest me because most of them were built 50+ years ago when the technology architects would have had available to them would not have been as great as the technology available now, yet with careful maintenance, many of the structures remain sturdy and intact. Landmarks are great architectural achievements, to design and construct a structure that is durable yet can be admired as art is impressive to me. Also, the concept of time is relatable to Landmarks that are 50+ years old because for the most part, they haven't changed much yet, the world around them has drastically changed, they have seen regime changes and advancements in technology and medicine.