Paragone: Relief & Photography (Philopappos)

An analog 35 mm slide is projected onto an engraved steel relief, staging a paragone between the projected photograph and the relief; as the plate settles, the image fractures into haptic, shifting highlights across the surface.

Photographic Metal Relief by Alexander Maß

Year of Production: 2023
Project Type: Interactive sculptural installation
Material: Raw black steel
Relief Type: Low relief (bas-relief)
Dimensions: 50 × 30 cm (19.7 × 11.8 in)
Weight: 6 kg
Technique: Freehand engraving using angle grinder (Flex, diamond disc), rotary micro-engraver, drill with abrasive heads, wire/bristle brushes, and fine hand-engraving tools
Projection Format: 35 mm analog photograph, shot on Minolta SRT 101 with 50 mm lens; glass/ANR mount recommended
Projector: Kodak Carousel/Ektagraphic (4400 series), 250–300 W halogen, interchangeable lens
Lens/Throw: 110–120 mm at 1.5 m → image ≈ 30 × 45 cm
Mounting (artwork): Suspended on precisely angled thin steel cables
Mounting (projector): Ceiling bracket, 5–10° off-axis, minimal keystone, ensure ventilation
Country of Origin: Germany, Greece

Paragone: Relief & Photography (Philopappos) is a photographic metal relief depicting a small forest behind the Church of Saint Dimitrios Loumbardiaris on Philopappos Hill in Athens (Filopappou / Λόφος Φιλοπάππου). Close to that wooded park south-west of the Acropolis are two rock-cut caves known as Socrates’ Prison, where the philosopher is believed to have awaited his execution. During World War II, courageous Athenians hid valuable ancient works of art in these woods and caves to protect them from Nazi looting and violence. The work merges analog photography with sculptural engraving on steel, producing light-reflective effects that shift with the viewer’s position. Suspended by thin steel cables crossing at subtle angles, the plate hangs freely in space.

The piece was briefly exhibited in Berlin in June 2023. Visitors were invited to interact with the surface. Some told me they enjoyed gently swinging the floating relief, watching it settle into a quiet balance that stages a contemporary paragone between the projected image and the engraved surface, two ways of seeing the same forest, the same two paths.

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