McLaughlin Planetarium No 2
The Learning Curve PhotographyBrian Carson of The Learning Curve Photography isolates the brutalist geometry of Toronto's McLaughlin Planetarium, stripping the 1968 structure down to its essential curves and shadows. This monochrome study focuses on the interplay of light across the massive concrete dome, turning a historical landmark into a study of pure form.
McLaughlin Planetarium No 2
Brian Carson of The Learning Curve Photography isolates the brutalist geometry of Toronto's McLaughlin Planetarium, stripping the 1968 structure down to its essential curves and shadows. This monochrome study focuses on the interplay of light across the massive concrete dome, turning a historical landmark into a study of pure form.
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Art Analysis
A Monochrome Study of Mid-Century Spherical Form
Brian Carson captures the McLaughlin Planetarium at 100 Queens Park, a fixture of Toronto’s architectural landscape since 1968. By utilizing a portrait orientation and a high-contrast black and white conversion via Silver EFEX Pro, the photograph emphasizes the scale of the 25.3-meter-tall dome. The focus remains on the texture of the outer shell, which spans 27.7 meters in diameter, highlighting the rhythmic patterns and heavy presence of its mid-century construction.
The composition leans into the abstract, using a Sigma 17-70mm lens to frame the structure in a way that prioritizes geometric shapes over literal representation. The resulting image moves beyond simple architectural documentation, using the play of light and shadow to explore the ambiguity of the building's curved surfaces. It is a quiet, focused look at a piece of history, reprocessed to emphasize the stark, sculptural quality of the original design.
The print highlights the iconic concrete structures of the Barbican, showing how they provide a stark frame for the organic growth within.
By using playful pink shades in a monochrome arrangement, the artist finds variety and depth within a restricted color palette.
The work breaks down structural elements into monochromatic patterns that challenge our usual perception of space.
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