Unintended Beauty

By Alastair Philip Wiper

The human mind is capable of extraordinary things. We create systems, structures and machines that allow us to provide for our lives and answer our questions about the universe. Machines tell the story of our needs and desires, our hopes and follies, our visions for the future.

—Alastair Philip Wiper

British photographer Alastair Philip Wiper’s new book, Unintended Beauty, observes places of work, knowledge, and power that are normally hidden. Wiper’s photographic exploration of industrial iconography and scientific symbolism found in technical facilities around the world reveals the accidental aesthetics, sublime complexities, and rich details of machines—machines that smash atoms together, build airplanes, produce medicine, make shoes, stuff sausages, and more.

Wiper challenges common perceptions of beauty by highlighting the unintended aesthetics of industry, science, and infrastructure. Visually, his photographs are defined by a command of lines and symmetry, color, and contrast that draws the viewer’s attention to both the aesthetic and function of his subjects.

Unintended Beauty, released in February 2020 by publisher Hatje Cantz, is accompanied by a touring exhibition. Wiper is based in Copenhagen.

Play Slideshow

Plywood Mock-Up of Part of the ATLAS Detector, CERN
Alastair Philip Wiper
The ATLAS detector is part of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, Switzerland. The Atlas detector is the largest of seven detectors on the LHC, and this model was used to test wiring scenarios before installation.
Odiello Solar Furnace
Alastair Philip Wiper
French National Centre for Scientific Research, France.
Knitting Machine
Alastair Philip Wiper
Maersk Triple E Container Ship Under Construction
Alastair Philip Wiper
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, South Korea. The Maersk Triple E is one of the largest and most efficient container ships in the world. The ship can carry 18,000 containers stacked 11 levels high on the inside and 10 levels high on the outside.
Spark Gap in the High Voltage Laboratory
Alastair Philip Wiper
Professor Joachim Holbøll with a high voltage sphere gap at the Technical University of Denmark.
Mont-Louis Solar Furnace
Alastair Philip Wiper
Experimental solar furnace, built in the 1950s by professor Felix Trombe.
Medicinal Cannabis Greenhouse
Alastair Philip Wiper
This facility is the largest producer of medical cannabis in Europe. The first licenses to produce cannabis in Denmark were granted in 2018, and right now the country is undergoing a trial period regarding the use of medical marijuana.