Rota das Catedrais was commissioned by the Direção Regional de Cultura do Norte as part of a photographic project documenting the Cathedral of Viana do Castelo.
Alongside the expected view of the cathedral as a monumental and richly ornamented architectural landmark, Inês d’Orey turns her attention to its hidden, secondary and less visible spaces. In these photographs, fragments of the cathedral’s rich material and decorative language are superimposed onto otherwise austere or overlooked spaces, taking the form of circular interventions that partially conceal them.
The contrast between the grandeur of the monument and the anonymity of its hidden spaces creates a tension between what is meant to be seen and what remains out of sight. Ornament becomes both a veil and a magnifying device, shifting the viewer’s attention from the cathedral’s celebrated image towards its less obvious interior realities.
All photographs are 80 × 80 cm fine art prints, framed in wood. Edition of 3 + 1 AP.