St. Mary of the Angels
Rising above Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, St. Mary of the Angels is both monumental and unexpectedly serene. Its great dome, richly detailed interior, and ring of 26 sculpted angels create an architecture that feels designed as much for contemplation as for spectacle.
Photographed on a quiet afternoon, this series moves from the sanctuary's vast symmetry to the smaller details above: statues, arches, ornamentation, and the remarkable angels standing along the roofline. Seen from below, they appear almost as guardians of the church, keeping watch over the sanctuary and the surrounding neighborhood, much like the protective figures and gargoyles that have watched over sacred buildings for centuries.
Wide-angle interior views emphasize the space's scale and rhythm, while telephoto images isolate details that are easily missed from the street. A final set of aerial photographs reveals the church from above, placing its dome and roofline within the surrounding city.
Presented in black and white, the photographs reduce the building to light, shadow, form, and stillness, letting the architecture itself carry the mood.
