Manuel Alvarez Diestro (English: Manuel Alvarez Diestro) — a 45-year-old photographer originally from Spain, currently living in South Korea. On one of his walks, his attention was caught by the views that open up beneath the local bridges. That was how his series of photographs of Seoul's bridges came to be.
The subjects of the series are the bridges that span the Han River — among Seoul's most iconic landmarks. Each is unique, drawing visitors with its arches and lights. But that is not what attracted Diestro: unwilling to photograph the upper spans, he chose instead to focus on the view from below. This other, shadowed side turned out to be full of industrial beauty, hinting at infinity.
Diestro began working on the series shortly after moving to South Korea from England. He noticed the beauty of the undersides of the bridges during a cycling trip along the river. Confronted with the massive bridge foundations creating an endless perspective, he found he could not shake the idea for a new project.
"I was drawn to the monumentality and mass of the supporting structures, conveyed through the pillars and beams, and to the receding perspective they generate."
With a compelling view of the structures that connect the north and south of Seoul, Diestro points his camera straight along the length of the bridges, capturing a surreal geometry. The pillars repeat one another, drawing the eye toward a central vanishing point. The effect is hypnotic — almost like an optical illusion.
In the course of shooting, Diestro came to see the bridges in a new light, beyond their function. He believes that the space he has uncovered lends the bridges a quality more commonly associated with works of art.
"We no longer see their primary function — connecting people on opposite banks of a metropolis."
Few people pay attention to the space beneath bridges. When Diestro did, he discovered something remarkable. His series is an example of what can happen when you pause and look at the familiar from a different angle.
If you enjoyed this article, take a look at our selection of the world's most unusual bridges in the world.
