Tubes

In Tubes, Menno Aden presents a photographic series that explores the hidden architecture of everyday urban infrastructure. Each image captures a ceiling view of an underground car park, photographed precisely from the same perspective. The uniform composition lends the series a rhythmic consistency, while the subject matter—pipes, tubes, ventilation shafts, and electric cables—is illuminated by stark neon lights. These artificial light sources not only reveal the intricate construction above our heads but also cast a cold, almost clinical glow that emphasizes the functionality and order of the space.

At first glance, the images appear repetitive or identical. However, as the viewer moves through the series, subtle variations begin to emerge. This repetition with variation gives Tubes a meditative quality, inviting viewers to slow down and notice details that would otherwise go unnoticed. The precision of Aden’s framing transforms these utilitarian ceilings into abstract compositions, grids of lines, light, and texture, that echo minimalist painting and conceptual photography.

By focusing on these often overlooked spaces, Aden elevates the mundane into something poetic. The series reflects on the aesthetics of modern infrastructure and questions the boundary between functionality and art. It challenges our perception of space and highlights how systems designed purely for utility can, under the right gaze, become visually compelling. With Tubes, Aden continues his interest in depersonalized, top-down perspectives, turning a typically hidden world into a subject of contemplation and visual study.