Kilian O'Sullivan

Kilian O’Sullivan

“Architectural photography needs some abstraction to make it art”, says Kilian O’Sullivan of his recent work on the Battersea regeneration project, the largest privately led building project London has ever seen. “I invent scenarios for the buildings in use, then I use the best of my prejudices to take photographs that recreate that.”

The result pairs art with the commercial needs of the client - photographs that showcase the vision of the architects and designers whilst representing the buildings as more than just objects.

“Buildings aren’t shapes to look at”, says Kilian, “they’re environments, they’re social catalysts rather than sculptures. Sculpture is easy to photograph, society is hard.”

To meet that challenge Kilian starts from the client’s perspective and, having met their commercial requirements, takes the unconventional step of incorporating people using the space into the images.

The result is an ambitious combination of architecture and anthropology, with a simple goal at it’s centre:

“It’s all about seeing”.