Exhibit
Description
by Clift Seferlis
Take a quick look around the Dupont Circle neighborhood and you
may be surprised to find out that the area remained largely undeveloped
until approximately 1870. When properly paved roads reached the
circle itself, along with them came a wealth of personalities,
institutions, and of course, architecture. Intricate Details is
a joint collaboration between local architects and photographers,
which aims to explore the rich architectural heritage of Dupont
Circle through photography. The area's diverse architectural styles
include everything from high Victorian, Richardsonian Romanesque
to Beaux Arts.
It is so easy to walk by buildings around us, admire their beauty,
and move on. How often do we really stop to look at all that went
into their creation? A facade is made up of many different components,
and these elements are the literal and figurative focus of this
project. Pattern books for wood, iron, stone or terra cotta details
emerged in Victorian times. Those translated into the beautiful
ironwork and fanciful carvings and castings adorning the facades
of many buildings in Dupont Circle. Those of us involved with
the Intricate Details project have found great pleasure in finding
and photographing some of these architectural treasures.
We would like to invite everyone to participate in the treasure
hunt to find the buildings in our images. We would also like to
encourage everyone to participate in local architectural preservation
efforts by getting involved with local organizations like the
Dupont Circle Conservancy, D.C. Preservation League and the Historical
Society of Washington D.C
Photographers
Pradeep Dalal
Born in Mumbai, India, I have lived in Washington, DC for the
past ten years. As an architect, I photograph buildings and cityscapes
as a study tool for design projects. Presently I am more interested
in photography that does not simply document, but can stand by
itself as a self-contained, beautiful image. I am currently photographing
sculpture in ancient cities, temples and museums. I have photographed
ancient tolmec ruins in Veracruz, Mexico, and 1000-year old temple
towns in south India. Working primarily in black & white, I print
my own negatives. I recently had a solo exhibition at the World
Bank, and have participated in many group shows including, Art-o-Matic;
DC Arts Center; Museum of Contemporary Art in Baltimore; Teaism
Restaurant; and the National Theater in Accra, Ghana.
James Dudney
I am a registered architect currently living in the District of
Columbia. Upon graduation from the University of Notre Dame, I
moved to Rome, Italy where I started my apprenticeship in architecture.
A year later, I returned to the U.S. and have been involved in
a wide variety of architectural projects. My travels include many
parts of Europe, India, Egypt, Nepal, Tunisia, and Brazil. I think
that few would argue against the profound roles of photography
in our global society. Among them, I have found a gratifying challenge
in capturing images that reveal something unique about a moment
or an object. My experience with Intricate Details has broadened
my discovery of the many elements that compose the setting of
my daily life.
Roshani Kothari
I have been taking photographs of the interesting and often whimsical
architecture in Dupont Circle for several years. The intricate
details of the stone carvings adorning the townhouses intrigue
me. I often wonder what inspired these architects and stone carvers
to build such fascinating homes. I started the Intricate Details
project in collaboration with local photographers and architects
in March 2002.
Clift Seferlis
I am a native Washingtonian. After returning from college ten
years ago I started to assist my father with the ongoing restoration
work at the Smithsonian Castle on the Mall. I am in charge of
that operation today, and I would not trade that job for anything.
I have been taking photos since high school, and find it very
rewarding. If I am not working on restoring architecture I am
writing about it; if I am not writing about it I am photographing
it. Architecture has dominated my images for decades, and always
will. Last year was my first solo exhibition at the Stewart Mott
House on Capitol Hill titled "Creatures, Places, and Things."
I have been fortunate enough to have had work published in a small
number of magazines and publications, and most recently at the
headquarters of the Chevy Chase Bank in Bethesda, MD. Approximately
50 of my images have become part of that operation's permanent
corporate art collection.
