From 1978 to 1993, young Soviet architects Aleksandr Brodsky and Ilya Utkin created an extraordinary series of etchings featuring strange, and at times impossible, buildings and urban landscapes based on a variety of architectural, literary, and visual sources, ranging from classical mythology to science fiction. The drawings present absurd proposals and fictional cityscapes in eclectic mixtures of ancient mausoleums, industrial buildings, neoclassical utopias, and constructivist towers. Some depict an oppressive and alienating modern metropolis, reflecting the experience of living under a totalitarian regime, while others feature strange, cerebral, and human elements layered with historical precedents—from Piranesi to Le Corbusier—that remain breathtakingly complex and beautiful.
This book presents the collaborative work of both architects and, alongside an introduction by Lois E. Nesbitt, includes a foreword by Ronald Feldman and an essay by Aleksandr Mergold.
Both Aleksandr Brodsky and Ilya Utkin were born in Moscow in 1955. They both received their architecture degrees from the Moscow Architectural Institute in 1978. They long ago moved on from their joint venture to pursue individual interests, working in construction, interior design, set design, photography, and teaching. Their etchings continue to inspire artists, architects, and collectors alike.
