Archival Giclée Pigment Print on Archival Paper
Limited Edition of 5
42 x 42 in
107 x 107 cm
US $ 4,200
This photograph, taken during Ragazzini's formative period in London in 1966, captures the industrial architecture of the Battersea Power Station in an evocative, cinematic way. The sharply detailed foreground of the metal surface, dotted with rivets, contrasts with the distant view of the factory’s smokestacks billowing clouds, creating a sense of tension between the modern, human-made structures and the atmospheric sky. The composition echoes the urban bleakness that Ragazzini experienced during his time in London, where he explored the city’s lesser-seen, working-class environments.
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This photograph, taken during Ragazzini's formative period in London in 1966, captures the industrial architecture of the Battersea Power Station in an evocative, cinematic way. The sharply detailed foreground of the metal surface, dotted with rivets, contrasts with the distant view of the factory’s smokestacks billowing clouds, creating a sense of tension between the modern, human-made structures and the atmospheric sky. The composition echoes the urban bleakness that Ragazzini experienced during his time in London, where he explored the city’s lesser-seen, working-class environments.
In terms of photographic style, this image is reminiscent of other mid-century photographers like Bill Brandt and Bert Hardy, who also focused on the stark beauty of industrial landscapes. However, Ragazzini’s image diverges by incorporating a more personal sense of alienation, reflecting his own state of mind during this period. His fascination with structures and industrial forms would continue to evolve throughout his career, from these early images to later experimental and Op Art-inspired work.
The smokestacks of Battersea, immortalized in numerous artworks including Pink Floyd’s Animals album cover, symbolize the industrial spirit of post-war London, yet here they seem almost distant and melancholic, capturing a moment of transition both in the city’s history and in Ragazzini’s own life as he began to emerge as a photographer.