Common-or-Garden
Iryna Baklan

Rooted in the unspectacular but day-to-day creating of space, Common-or-Garden is a photographic exploration of Dublin’s suburbia. Neither completely natural nor fully human, the front garden functions as a buffer zone between public and private, serving as a first impression for the passer-by. In densely populated areas where each square metre is costly, the house is a desired and meaningful space, which we construct to our liking. At first glance, suburbia is rife with identically built houses. However, through repetitive observation, the spectrum of differences becomes more apparent. With the passing of time and the owner’s hand, the facades gain personality, owning their residents just as much as they own them. These domesticated landscapes, with their infrastructures, functionalities, and peculiarities, can be seen as reflective of our society; units of individuality striving for customisation within the wider, shared environment.

This photobook is from an edition of 5.

Iryna Baklan is a Dublin based photographer from Switzerland. With an interest in sociology, Iryna likes to explore her shared environment employing photography as a tool to document and reflect on her findings. Intrigued by the juncture of man and artifice, she looks at how space is formed and organised, gradually assembling shapes and patterns that form the patchwork of our cultural landscape.
irynabaklan.com