‘Acceleration Structures’, a work of art by British photographer Dan Holdsworth and commissioned by Rolls‑Royce. ‘Acceleration Structures’, a work of art by British photographer Dan Holdsworth and commissioned by Rolls‑Royce. ‘Acceleration Structures’, a work of art by British photographer Dan Holdsworth and commissioned by Rolls‑Royce. ‘Acceleration Structures’, a work of art by British photographer Dan Holdsworth and commissioned by Rolls‑Royce.

Acceleration Structures

A Topographic Tale of BEauty

British photographer Dan Holdsworth was the first artist to be commissioned by Rolls‑Royce in 2018. His ‘Acceleration Structures’ is a phenomenal piece which challenges our perception of the world around us by depicting the topography of three great glaciers with new technology, revealing the landscape like never before.

Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
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In a sequence of three films depicting the majesty and fragility of three Alpine glaciers, Argentière, Bossons, and Bionnassay, Holdsworth’s work guides us through the intricate geography of these regions using new geomapping technologies.
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Combining the latest in pioneering technology and the complex beauty of topography, Holdsworth has created an artform, taking the viewer on a journey through the glacier itself.
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Artist Dan Holdsworth in his studio working on his glacier photographic art project.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.

In the Making

‘Acceleration Structures’ was created by working both with high-end software and academic geographers. Holdsworth spent weeks based in an alpine village, each day hiking into glacial regions laden with camera equipment and a drone camera.

He surveyed the landscape from above, searching for the best vantage points from which to shoot his piece. Next, he scanned each landscape, examining every square metre and photographing the glaciers with his drone camera.

Each pinnacle and crevice has been captured in a way that no artist could have ever achieved. Not only are we able to appreciate the pure aesthetic beauty of the work, but that emotion is strongly reinforced by a new understanding of the visual dynamism of the real-life landscape before us.

Artist Dan Holdsworth in his studio working on his glacier photographic art project.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.
Glacier photographic art by Dan Holdsworth.

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