As the COVID-19 pandemic turned bustling cities into ghost towns, Dallas-based photographer Nikola Olic took advantage of the silence to immerse himself in his hometown and its architecture. The result is a series of photographs in which the rules, lines and shapes of architecture come into intense focus.
Two adjacent buildings create a bright architectural daytime ornament in downtown Miami. "The ... [+]
Abstract architectural photography
“Void of people, movement and distractions, my photographs focus on the architectural and poetic essence of the subjects in a museum-like state of silence, solitude and contemplation. This is both a soothing remedy to the strange COVID world we all currently share, as well as a reminder of its heaviness and visual power,” Nikola Olic says.
Born and raised in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (modern-day Serbia), Nikola Olic lives and works in Dallas, Texas. As an architectural photographer, he focuses on abstract structural compositions that reimagine their subjects in playful, dimensionless and disorienting ways. His mind-bending compositions have appeared in various galleries, public spaces, art events, museums, and in publications including the New York Times, Wired, and the Guardian.
"Blue Rectangle" at the Waterside Plaza buildings, shot by Nikola Olic before the pandemic in New ... [+]
Every new city is an exciting opportunity
Influenced by his parents, both of whom worked for Yugoslav Airlines, Nikola Olic has traveled extensively, always seeking out interesting subjects on his trips.
“With an inexpensive camera that can last the whole day, and with Google Maps in my pocket, every city is an exciting opportunity to explore, walk, and create,” he says.
This changed in 2020, when Nikola Olic instead began scrutinizing the strange silence that had fallen upon his hometown.
"Weeping Windows", in Park Güell, shot by Nikola Olic before the pandemic in Barcelona, Spain.
“The pandemic limited my travel options to Dallas and the surrounding cities, but it also made Dallas easier to walk around and absorb, in its new-found silence,” continues Nikola Olic, adding that with fewer people on the streets, fewer cars on the roads, and fewer questions about why he was taking photographs of buildings, 2020 became a surprisingly fulfilling year from a creative point of view.
This is a selection of Nikola Olic’s photography, shot in Dallas during the pandemic:
“Unwrapping The Sky”: Dallas, April 25, 2020
Unwrapping The Sky.
Nikola Olic: In the middle of downtown Dallas, right in front of the Dallas Museum of Art, an office building and a garage next to it add dramatic contrast and brightness to the Texas sky.
“Curved Reflection”: Dallas, July 17, 2020
Curved Reflection.
NO: A new park, old buildings, and a lot of metallic, colorful reflections, earthy colors and tones.
“Green Gate”: Dallas, July 26, 2020
Green Gate.
NO: Shades of curved gradient whites and crisp dark greens, showing a new path underneath Highway 30.
The Phantom Of The Opera.
“The Phantom Of The Opera”: Dallas, August 21, 2020
NO: Years in the making, shadows and light and architecture and angles appear, while kneeling on the ground halfway between good coffee and great opera.
Under The Bridge
“Under The Bridge”: Dallas, October 31, 2020
NO: At the intersection of two highways and the Trinity River, Dallas architecture can be easily framed with nothing but Dallas itself.
The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity
