“Reading is Solitude” Libraries Project by Thibaud Poirier
“Reading is solitude,” Italo Calvino once said, embodying the inspiration behind Thibaud Poirier “Libraries” series. These temples of cultural worship gather communities, and yet the literary experience, and therefore the experience of a library, remains solitary.
It is this internal narrative that forms us when we are young, matures with us, and grows when we feed it. It was the first means of travel offered to many and continues to be the most accessible form of escape for millions of people seeking knowledge, the world, themselves.
Poirier’s perspective pays homage to the personal touches and interpretations of literature that these architects brought to each library. Like fingerprints, each architect crafted his vision for a new space for this sacred self-exploration. These seemingly minute details are everywhere, from the balance of natural and artificial light to optimise reading yet preserve ancient texts to the selective use of studying tables to either foster community or encourage lonely reflection. The selection of these libraries that span space, time, style and cultures were carefully selected for each one’s unique ambiance and architectural contribution. This is reflected in Poirier’s tasteful use of symmetry to highlight classical values of beauty, and the strong visual interpretation of the solitude that one feels when immersed in reading.
Growing up in these vastly different landscapes and cultures, early on I developed a love and fascination for architecture and urban environments. As a self taught photographer my focus is to capture the beauty and energy of these places as I see them. For this reason night photography holds a special place in my work.
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