Melanie Cobham captures Melbourne’s urban atmosphere
‘Bodybuilding’ is a photographic series by Melanie Cobham exploring feelings of displacement and belonging through documentary and street photography. Shot on 35mm film, the images offer a contemplative yet playful portrait of Melbourne’s urban landscape from the perspective of an outsider.
Created in a time marked by isolation, Cobham utilised photography to observe, make sense of, and connect with her new surroundings. The resulting book presents a quiet, contemplative portrait of Melbourne’s urban landscape, largely devoid of people yet rich with fleeting details, surreal reflections, and striking architectural forms.
all images courtesy of Melanie Cobham
Bodybuilding photobook documents urban belonging
Published by Formist Editions, ‘Bodybuilding: Flâneuring the strangely familiar’ is the debut photobook of multidisciplinary artist and photographer Melanie Cobham, tracing her early years in Melbourne after relocating from Uruguay just before the pandemic.
The photographs reflect the perspective of the modern-day flâneur, observing and examining her surroundings with an intentional sense of detachment. This perspective enabled Cobham to immerse herself in a city suspended in an unusual stillness. What emerges is an introspective and poetic meditation on place, transforming solitude into a space for curiosity and wonder. ‘Bodybuilding’ offers a nuanced perspective on the migratory experience. It speaks to a collective search for belonging, while playfully navigating a world that feels increasingly uncanny and alienating.
Melanie Cobham documents Melbourne’s urban landscape through 35mm film
the series explores themes of displacement and belonging
the images reflect a contemplative and playful view of urban space
‘Bodybuilding’ captures the city from the perspective of an outsider
Melbourne appears quiet and largely unpopulated throughout the work
fleeting details and surreal reflections shape the visual narrative
the project emerged during a period of isolation and transition
the images evoke the perspective of a contemporary flâneur
detached observation allows for close examination of city spaces
the work forms an introspective meditation on place and movement
architectural forms become focal points in Cobham’s observations
urban unfamiliarity is navigated with subtle playfulness
project info:
name: Bodybuilding
photographer: Melanie Cobham | @melcobham
designer: Evi O. Studio | @evi_o.studio
publisher: Formist Editions | @formisteditions
distribution: Perimeter Books
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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