📷 Click Chronicles: Singing Drain Pipes
Art-A-Whirl and the Elephant in the Room
First off, I want to thank everyone who stopped by the studio this past weekend during Art-A-Whirl. It was a splendid event, and I appreciated the opportunity to meet each of you. I also want to welcome everyone who signed up for the newsletter, I hope you enjoy learning more about our travels and the stories behind each photograph.
Now for the elephant. Watching people as they first see my photos on the wall is very rewarding and helps me learn about my own photos and which ones resonate the most with viewers. For the past couple of years Singing Drain Pipes and the The Orloj have been my best sellers and because of that they are a key component of my setup. This past weekend they both garnered plenty of attention but Singing Drain Pipes clearly generated the most interest and questions, so today I want to acknowledge the elephant in the room and share the story of that image.
Dresden, Germany is not your typical tourist destination, and it was originally just a city that our train would pass though on our way from Berlin to Prague. However, upon uncovering Dresden's hidden gems in Atlas Obscura, Frauenkirche and the Singing Drain Pipes, we adjusted our plans and stopped for a few hours to explore this unique city.
Singing Drain Pipes in the Hof der Elemente, “Courtyard of Elements” is actually part of a larger art installation known as Kunsthofpassage (Art Courtyard Passage) in a neighborhood of the city called Neustadt or "New Town." The installation consists of five courtyards within a complex of apartment buildings. The other installations include Hof des Lichts, or “Courtyard of Light,” Hof der Tiere, “Courtyard of Animals,” Hof der Metamorphosen, “Courtyard of the Metamorphoses,” and Hof der Fabelwesen “Court of Mythical Creatures.”
Our plan was to get off our train in Dresen, explore a couple of the sites and then continue our journey to Prague a few hours later. That is one of the beauties of the European railway system, most cities are within a couple hours of each other and the frequency of trains allows for hop off and hop on exploration.
After a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof, we found ourselves on Görlitzer Straße and located the entrance, indicated by a sign featuring a yellow cow and the words "Kunsthofpassage." This portal leads to the Courtyard of Elements, where one is greeted by a radiant yellow wall adorned with golden aluminum sheets representing the light element. As you enter the courtyard and turn around you are presented with the Singing Drian Pipes, symbolizing the water element. This extraordinary, functional drainpipe system possesses a whimsical quality reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss book.
In my photograph, I concentrate on the lower third of the building, which showcases the most intriguing aspects of the drainpipes. However, it is worth noting that the entire wall extends approximately two-thirds beyond my frame and includes further elements of the drainpipe system. From my position on the ground, the initial image exhibited significant keystoning (where a building seems to lean backwards in a photo, see below image), which I have adjusted in the final version to create a clean, squared, and cropped composition. This adjustment gives the impression that the photograph was taken directly from across the courtyard at a second-story window level.
I captured images in the other courtyards; however only the Singing Drain Pipes resonated with me. Since taking this photograph in 2017, it is still one of my favorite images I have captured. I love the color and whimsy of it. I often refer to it as “Seussical” when chatting about it and the general concession is that is a great description for it.
The singing drain pipes of Dresden, Germany are a unique and fascinating art installation that should not be missed. They are located within a pedestrian-only courtyard so it cannot be seen by driving past. When the rain falls, this fully functioning drain system turns into a musical instrument. A visit to Dresden would not be complete without experiencing this remarkable display of engineering and artistry.
You can buy this photo “Singing Drain Pipes” as metal or print HERE.
Location: Dresden-Neustadt, Germany - N 51° 4' 4.174" E 13° 45 14.83"
Capture Date: August 14th, 2017, at 2:10 PM
Camera and Lens: Nikon D810 w/Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
Settings: 24mm, HDR Stack (1/160, 1/320 and 1/640 sec), f/8, ISO 400
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