An exhibition of photographs by Dutch architectural photographer Iwan Baan that document his travels over the past year is on show at Villa Noailles gallery in Hyères, France.

Above: Inner City Arts project by Michael Maltzan
Top: Knut Hamsun Museum by Steven Holl

Called 2010 Around the World, the exhibition chronicles Baan's travels to some of the most iconic buildings worldwide.

Above: Mikimoto 2 by Toyo Ito

Alongside the images and poems already on show, Baan will add to and update the show each week sending photographs of his current location, creating a continuously expanding collection of his work.

Above: House H by Sou Fujimoto

The exhibition will run until 27 March 2011.

Above: The Rolex Learning Centre EPFL by SANAA

More photography by Iwan Baan on Dezeen »

Above: 1111 Lincoln Road by Herzog and de Meuron

All our photography stories on Dezeen »

Above: Rolex Learning Centre EPFL by SANAA

Here's some more information about the exhibition:

2010 AROUND THE WORLD

The diary of a year of architecture

In the wake of Rudy Ricciotti, Patrick Bouchain, Lacaton & Vassal, Luca Merlini, Lefèvre & Aubert, TYIN and Anna Heringer, the villa Noailles wishes to briefly halt an astonishing explorer who endlessly travels the planet in order to observe and capture the architecture of this period, along with the life which evolves within it.

Above: Opera house by Zaha Hadid

Iwan Baan has been invited to the villa so that he may share his visions, which are like so many stopovers in his many endless trips around the world. He possesses a unique perspective on world architecture, because it is synchronous. But that which interests him is the life and interactions which evolve within and around these new structures, such as the large stadium by Herzog and de Meuron in Peking, or the Learning Center by SANAA in Lausanne, and also the Cultural Center of Medellín in Colombia, or the mud brick Ahmed Baba Library in Timbuktu, Africa.

Above: Metro Cable by Urban Think Tank

After completing his studies in photography, this young Dutch artist suggested a photographic project to his well known compatriot, Rem Koolhaas, who accepted without hesitation, and thus ensued a regular collaboration. The villa Noailles has invited this tireless globe-trotter to come in to land for a short while, in order to offer the public a series of 35mm digital snapshots, which are unique photographs of the “architecture – planet”.

At 35 years of age, Iwan Baan has recently been awarded the Julius Shulman prize, which places him within the elite of important architectural photographers. His distinctive vision focuses upon the impact of structures, upon their environment and upon the life which evolves within and around them. - Jean-Pierre Blanc, Director and Florence Sarano, associate curator

Above: Olympic stadium by Herzog and de Meuron

THE EXHIBITION / Wandering

FOLLOWING A YEAR OF ARCHITECTURE

Visiting Iwan Baan’s exhibition means to take part in a trip around the world in a series of perspectives, which meticulously capture buildings that are geographically far removed: from the deserts of California, to the cities of Japan, from Northern Europe to South America, from the African continent to Asia... The projects are as varied as museums, homes, schools, a centre for the homeless, Olympic stadiums...

This succession of continents, of countries, of towns, of locations, and also of materials, of light and landscapes, unfolds in a chronological journey which travels from week to week.

For the first time one may follow, step by step, this nomad in his endless wanderings around the “architecture – planet” and grasp for oneself this architectural reality. Each week, during the exhibition, Iwan Baan will send a photograph of his current location... the exhibition will thus grow week after week...

Above: Burj Khalifa by SOM

A PERSONAL DIARY EXPOSED
This photographic testimony is presented like a “personal” diary which has been exposed, exceptionally for us. If some of these photos have already travelled the world, via the pages of magazines or blogs, it is the personal thoughts of Iwan Baan – which have never been shown – that are now being presented and accompany each of the images.
Like haiku, these private notes, speak without offering a commentary on the photos. They are a personal dialogue which enters into a resonance with the images... Besides the photographs – commissioned by architects and magazines – is the distancing of the words. The same words which also serve to unite all of the projects under the pervasive and global perspective of architectures....

THE SERIES: Still Pictures
Iwan Baan explores each building and in so doing he creates a series. These series are like the sequential images of a film, where characters seem to provide the rhythm through their movements. We have selected some, as snapshots of life within the building: like the narration of a story, as it unfolds therein. They are also endless test shots, from which the final image will be chosen that best represents the structure.

THE EXHIBITION CATALOGUE : AROUND THE WORLD AGAIN
The catalogue has been designed to recapture the 52 photographs, over the 52 weeks of a year, whilst also being accompanied by the 52 corresponding poems, in order to continue to share in Iwan Baan’s travels. The architects Toyo Ito (Japan), as well as Herzog and de Meuron (Switzerland), Wang Shu (China) and Diller- Scofidio (USA) also offer their own testimony. An interview with the photographer and the text by Florence Sarano complete the work.

See also:

.

More photography by Iwan Baan	Heygate Abstracted by Simon Kennedy	All our photography stories on Dezeen