Creative Focus

I expected to find cobblestone-paved streets, renaissance- inspired buildings and castles, and daunting majestic statues holding court in public squares and markets. I found all that and so much more in Malmö. Behind every corner I turned, and every crooked little street I followed, were the rhythms of daily life with the architectural reminders of a long and rich history as the backdrop.

Now imagine the juxtaposition of Calatrava’s deconstructionist Turning Torso. Twisting 90 degrees on its own axis, 190 metres high, and nine cubes stacked one on top of each other, looking every bit like a  a geometric exclamation point  punctuating itself against  the blue skies of Øresund Strait.  

I was quickly fixated on this structure.  I needed to linger, study its lines, contemplate its engineering. From every angle it seemed to defy anything I knew about the law of physics. When you’re on the ground looking up at the edifice, it truly does not look like it should be standing. The sweeps and angles it takes seem too drastic for one building.

Designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Turning Torso is another example of his work laden with flowing, sweeping curves, a swirling design with bending and curved silhouettes, clearly displaying his training as both sculptor and civil engineer.

 

I spent the better part of this one afternoon enjoying the waterfront of Malmö taking photos. I’ve been stretching myself beyond the art form I am most comfortable with: writing. Learning how to train my eye to see things differently, to capture what is around me through the lens of my camera. I feel awkward and uncoordinated in this new medium, but it stimulates my brain and creativity in other ways. There is also this incredible sense of possibility that comes from learning something new and expanding beyond my known capabilities.  

 The longer I spent examining this structure, figuring out the vantage points to capture what I was seeing (shots from the waterfront or children’s park across the street),  my appreciation of its richness and complexity grew. As I reflected on the sheer hard work, dedication and creative focus that had been condensed into this singular act of creation, I could only be humbled.

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