andres gallardo's 'la muralla infrarroja' depicts unusually dreamlike softness

photographer andrés gallardo has claimed ricardo bofill’s 1973 la muralla roja to be a ‘paradise for photographers.’ following his previous visit to spain’s bold, fortress-like apartment complex, gallardo developed an attraction toward infrared photography. gallardo has since returned to the iconic red walls for a second interpretation, this time entitled ‘la muralla infrarroja’. the latest series of images is the unexpected result of a seemingly broken infrared filter, as gallardo comments, ‘I think it really worked nicely for such surreal location.‘

all images by andrés gallardo

the contrast between the two sets is exemplary of gallardo’s statement that ‘the best thing about muralla roja is that a photographer could visit it several times and keep taking totally different photos.‘ while the arab-mediterranean architecture offers a vivid red palette with a strong geometric sensibility against the blue sea and sky, the spanish photographer captures an uncharacteristically dreamlike haziness to la muralla roja.