‘Beautiful Brutalism’, by the London based photographer Amelia Lancaster is a detailed shot of the National Theatre taken from Waterloo Bridge. It depicts a quiet, hidden corner amidst the bustling crowds of the South Bank – a moment of escapism in the hectic life of the capital.

It is clear to see that Amelia’s background in architecture and set design has had much influence on her work. Her expertise, where she previously won the prestigious National Set Design Competition, gives the artist a unique technical understanding of her urban surroundings. This background enables Amelia to transform, and even breakdown, large architectural forms into frames of ‘spatial abstraction’. Then, relentlessly tweaking the final results, she manipulates the contrast and colours to accentuate the shapes and structure – even going as far to create ambiguous spaces.

“In my ‘Beautiful Brutalism’ series I was drawn to austere and unpeopled locations to create these concrete compositions. Negative space is also explored to see configuration beyond the human eye.”

In doing this, Amelia’s photography inspires the viewer to stop and look into the unexpected corners of the city. We are encouraged to seek out beauty in the negative spaces and enjoy the abstract form of previously unappreciated angles.

Amelia’s photography has been widely exhibited including in ‘Fresh Perspectives: New Photography’ at Saatchi Art and Grey Score at The Courtauld. It has also been published in ICON Magazine, The Times, The Architects Journal and even on the front cover of Pil magazine.