When the Trafford Centre opened 20 years ago I despised it. It's cheap, fake architecture, borrowing from every period in human history seemed the height of bad taste. Built by the uber corporation The Peel Group who own huge swaths of land in and around Manchester and Liverpool it was the ultimate two fingers to independent urban chic. Now I live 5 minutes drive away, or I can walk it in half an hour and I have a different relationship with it. I'm still pondering exactly what that relationship is, but as a photographer the walk is interesting and I've been using this journey to continue my Periphery series, exploring the struggle between nature and humans. As I write that sentence I know we are part of nature, but we seem determined to distance ourselves from the rhythms of day and night and the seasons.
I'm interested in how we attempt to shape nature, and how that control is fragile, a little neglect soon gives nature the upper hand. I'm exploring how that scenario presents itself in the world around us, examining the edges of towns, cities and now shopping centres too.
If you missed them here are some posts from the same series:
http://www.marcprovins.com/2018/09/antwerpen-omtrek.html
http://www.marcprovins.com/2017/12/ends-beginnings.html
http://www.marcprovins.com/2017/09/peripherie.html
http://www.marcprovins.com/2017/06/between-two-cities.html
