sam irons tracks world travel through grid reference series

sam irons tracks world travel through grid reference series
(above) 51º32’50.12″N 0º04’17.88″W, 2010, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm
all images © sam irons

during a period of road-trip-style travel around the globe, british photographer sam irons pointed his lens to elements in his surrounding environment that evoke something inherently emotional.

lonely towers under construction, empty urban landmarks, closed exhibition spaces and vacant lots comprise ‘grid reference’, each titled as the latitude and longitude of their capture. the minimalistic compositions exaggerate the form and texture of the subject — for example, the material qualities in the architecture of milan’s duomo seems almost tactile; dimly palm trees near the coast of southern france are distinctly pictured in their color and luminosity.

 25º14’01.70″N 55º17’59.31″E, 2011, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

the series encapsulates irons’ experience of being in the world, his understanding of different cultures and communities and his perception of new places. because the photo frame obscures the entire subject from view and the image title only provides geographical coordinates, the collection invites the audience to further explore the the sites and their significance on their own. the narrative spelled out through his lens offers an intriguing glimpse at far corners of globe, masked in mystery and suggesting just enough about the subject for the viewer to want to know more.

45º27’51.36″N 4º37’33.62″E, 2009, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

43º41’30.71″N 7º17’26.60″E, 2010, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

35º01’39.89″N 106º57’14.63″W, 2009, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

43º40’44.76″N 7º13’50.05″E, 2010, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

43º40’43.00″N 4º37’33.62″E, 2009, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

51º56’24.97″N 4º06’30.56″E, 2011, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

35º41’21.45″N 139º43’23.52″E, 2010, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

43º40’20.72″N 4º38’16.20″E, 2010, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm

45º33’27.67″N 6º28’23.97″E, 2008, archival c-type print, 98cm x 98cm