Thomas Mailaender - Cathedral Cars - 2011

Thomas Mailaender - 2011:
"Cathedral cars" (kathedraalauto's) is a term coined by dockworkers in Marseille for vehicles that cross the Mediterranean by ship, from Marseille to North Africa. Thomas Mailaender pays tribute to these "cathedral cars", which can be regarded as human feats: visual constructions that seem to defy gravity and in which dreams are anchored. The photographer portraits the cars from behind or from the side and removes the background to isolate them in the frame. They recall folk art and sculpture, but also reference the journey to come and themes such as the transition from one realm to another, exodus and migration.
Cathedral Cars is laid out as a large picture book and borrows its characteristics from children's books: thick cardboard and a glossy finish. This choice creates distance from the actual context, making the subject itself appear as a construction toy.
The text by Marc Augé, "Elsewhere, Hereabouts", and a collection of images found by the artist are included in a twelve-page booklet that is integrated into the thickness of the cover.
Format 38x30 cm, 36 pages including front and back. In very good condition. Edition 750 copies.