Drew Leshko: Water Tower Typology

Terminal E

Philadelphia area artist Drew Leshko is captivated by industrial structures that are typical to rural landscapes such as silos, water towers, grain elevators, wind vanes, and even telephone poles. He is interested in calling attention to what is often overlooked and dismissed as antiquated. Leshko's work has been significantly influenced by the photography of renowned artists Bernd and Hilla Becher. Like the Becher's, Leshko also photographs similar structures that they commonly referred to as "anonymous sculpture." The Becher's photographs are known for their straightforward documentary style using black-and-white film each object is centered and isolated from its environment as if nothing else exists. The photographs were often presented collectively, almost as if specimens, in order to better appreciate the similarities and the differences of each.

Leshko is nearly faithful to the Becher's aesthetic, but he has added another dimension to his series of photographs. He builds a three-dimensional model of each structure. His process begins with a photograph of the actual object from which he creates a small-scale replica. He then photographs the model. The two mediums of sculpture and photography are then exhibited side by side. Unlike his predecessors, Leshko is interested in eschewing reality. By presenting his sculpture and their photographic counterparts simultaneously, Leshko challenges one's perception of what is real and what isn't.