Paul Dobraszczyk
Apr 9, 20091 min
Lisbon, 2009, watercolour over chalk and ink
Lisbon is the ‘city of light’ – not a romantic vision, but a concrete description that refers to the blinding effect of sunlight on its marble-like cobbles, which stretch unbroken from the centre of the city to the suburbs. Light also plays on the facades of its buildings which are decorated with coloured tiles more usually found in interior spaces. From its steep hills and hidden troughs, this city of blinding light seems to break down conventional architectural codes: inside and outside are mixed up; shadows define forms; and sky dissolves into walls.