Photographer Iwan Baan will present a talk on his latest publication, Rome–Las Vegas Bread and Circuses (2024, Lars Müller Publishers) which offers a visual comparison of two cities often perceived as architectural opposites. While Rome is known for its ancient and enduring monuments, and Las Vegas for its contemporary spectacle, Baan’s photographs capture striking parallels between the two, exploring themes of power, play and urban identity.

Timed with the 50th anniversary of Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi’s seminal work Learning From Las Vegas (1972, MIT Press), this presentation will showcase Baan’s images from both cities—ranging from aerial perspectives to street-level views. By juxtaposing the perceived authenticity of Rome with the artificiality of Las Vegas, the photographs raise questions about how we interpret and value architecture in different contexts. Baan’s talk will provide insights into his creative process and the thematic connections behind this new body of work.

Iwan Baan (b.1975) is a world-renowned Dutch architecture and documentary photographer based in Amsterdam. His photography focuses on the life of architecture and how people reappropriate their built environment to make it their own. Baan has worked with leading architects and architecture studios such as Rem Koolhaas/OMA, Herzog & de Meuron, SANAA, Zaha Hadid and Steven Holl, and his images regularly appear in national and international newspapers and magazines. He has authored or collaborated on numerous books and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2012. Baan's work has been exhibited internationally, including a retrospective exhibition launched at the Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein in 2023/2024.

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