This new work reflects Holfeld’s recent time spent in Geneva, where he found himself in an intriguing position: viewing the city through a lens untainted by familiarity. Initially captivated by the architecture of Geneva’s NGO and financial institutions, Holfeld soon recognized the bombastic style as a symbol of exclusivity, designed to affirm the importance of the working elite. Disillusioned, he shifted his focus to the city’s overlooked utilitarian structures—bridges, car parks, warehouses, and post offices—which resonated with his own sense of being an outsider. Over time, Holfeld’s attention narrowed to urban staircases, which he saw as metaphors for social & institutional hierarchy. These structures came to symbolize power struggles, milestones of growth, and goals yet to be realized; reflecting the complexities of identity and societal navigation.
Drawing on his two decades in fashion photography and advertising, Holfeld chose micro-perforated contra-vision vinyl—typically used on storefront windows—to reflect Geneva’s utilitarian design ethos of functionality, practicality, and durability. Its resilience symbolizes the strength needed to navigate societal pressures, while the repetitive pattern of micro-perforations evokes the monotony of routine, underscoring the sense of insignificance and the emotional toll of facing systemic exclusion.
Echoing the work of Bernd and Hilla Bechar who focused on industrial architecture, Holfeld too celebrates the beauty of functionality and form, elevating overlooked and utilitarian structures to objects of artistic and cultural significance. Here Holfeld’s work invites viewers to reconsider the built environment and its role in shaping human experience.
Artist bio
Daniel Holfeld, born in Dublin in 1984, graduated with a BA [Hons] in photography from DIT Dublin in 2008. From 2008 to 2020, he honed his craft in fashion and commercial photography, working with luxury clients and international publications, while also excelling in art direction, brand development, and strategic planning.
Holfeld’s artistic practice now focuses on architectural surfaces, reinterpreted as painterly abstractions. In 2016, he began documenting Arabic architecture in Morocco, debuting his work in 2018 at Brown Thomas Dublin. His photography earned him an honorable mention from the International Photography Awards in 2019 and an exhibit at London’s The Other Art Fair in 2018.
In 2020, Holfeld unveiled The Space Between, showcasing Ricardo Bofill’s La Muralla Roja at Dublin’s RIAI and London’s RIBA. This series received international acclaim, with works acquired by RIBA’s Robert Elwall Photography Archive. His latest series, Conveying Space, commissioned by University College Dublin, celebrates the campus’s iconic architecture and its 50th anniversary, earning global accolades and a place in the university’s permanent collection.Holfeld’s work has been honoured by PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, International Photography Awards, and more.
Production of this work has been kindly supported by the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Grant Scheme.
Image: Daniel Holfeld, Infinite Horizons, 2025, UV print on contravision micro-perforated vinyl mounted on to 5mm black acrylic, 200 x 122cm, Image courtesy of the artist.
www.danielholfeldfineart.com Instagram @danielholfeld
