Gallery
On the abandoned railway tracks near the center of Helsinki, rested a forgotten steam engine. Likely over a century old, it had been left to the elements, with layers of paint peeling away to reveal the many colors it had worn over the decades. Rust had slowly eaten away at the iron, creating rich textures and intricate patterns that tell a story of time and neglect.
One scorching summer day, I found myself climbing, crawling and hanging all over the massive engine. I spent hours exploring every inch of it, capturing macro shots of the rust and weathered paint — multiple layers cracked and curling — under the bright and hard ambient light.
Despite the effort, my initial focus stacking attempts left me unsatisfied. The opportunity to rephotograph the train came only the following spring, after it had spent the harsh Nordic winter under a blanket of ice and snow. As the ice melted, the train’s surface revealed even more astonishing textures and colors, which I eagerly captured with my camera.
These artworks are among my most Pictorialist pieces. The raw beauty captured in the rust was merely a starting point. I wasn’t interested in mere documentation but in transformation. I wanted to transcend the literal and delve into the abstract — the photographs became my paint and clay with which I shaped these pieces into something new.
This series transcends literal representation, transforming rough industrial surfaces into something more expressive and evocative — more like paintings than photographs. By embracing the textures, colors and forms that emerge through decay, each piece enhances the painterly quality, becoming a unique work of art that invites the viewer to find beauty where it is least expected.
Rust & Paint is an ongoing series with new works currently in progress.
