Stainless Style - The Michael Faraday Memorial at Dusk - Photos by Ste Murray
"Bury me in stainless steel
My body will never rust"
- Stainless Style, a song by Neon Neon
The Michael Faraday Memorial sits at the centre of the Elephant & Castle roundabout in London. It is the centre of a flurry of activity; traffic and pedestrians buzz past this stainless steel monolith. It reflects the traces left behind by this action. I was drawn towards the structure because it features as album artwork. by one of my favourite bands, The Maccabees.
While I was there, I became intrigued by the notion of 'memorial'. Do the thousands who pass this monument know who it's for? Are they magnetised towards its subtle beauty, like I am? Indeed, The Maccabees have since called it a day, with a farewell show in London the very same week that I captured this series, reminding us of the transient and temporary nature of our lives; the brief spark of our existence.
When the sun had set, I set about documenting the ever-changing lighting conditions on the building. It oozed a subtle & quiet confidence, like a cubist disco ball that knows something we don't. Although it is a simple electricity substation, named in honour of a local lad who contributed greatly to the world of electromagnetism, it is nonetheless sturdy, robust, and has seen the reflected area undergo great change over the past few decades. Its feels current and is charged with a determination to stand its ground.
Prints available here
