Italian photographer Mattia Mognetti lives and works in Milan, Italy. As a photographer, one of his favorite subjects is architecture. This series of black and white photographs, entitled Black Tie Is Required, features extraordinarily high contrast structures set against a dark background. Mognetti blends the building structures with the stark, black and white palette to compose a formal setting that lends itself to the title.
The strong lines and shapes create patterns that give the illusion of abstraction, while the ornate features of the classic and modern structures reveal a more complicated design. Mognetti uses original angles, close cropping, and dark vignetting, which allows the viewer to disconnect from each building as a free-standing structure and to appreciate the segmented, geometric forms that fill the frame. The beauty of these elaborate architectural designs stand strong against the dark background as Mognetti blends the material forms of buildings with the visual language of abstract art.