After moving on from a successful career in photojournalism in 2003 to pursue his personal work, the photographer Michael Wolf, who has died unexpectedly aged 64, devoted himself to exploring the complex nature of life in some of the world’s largest cities. Michael was best known for his series Architecture of Density (2003-14), which focused on the facades of Hong Kong’s landmark postwar tower blocks.
These ominous concrete structures have none of the dazzling sheen of Hong Kong’s iconic harbour skyline, but rather reflect the difficult living conditions of the working class in one of the world’s densest cities. By cropping out the sky and occluding the horizon – a “no-exit” approach that he would use throughout his work – Wolf turned these buildings into seemingly infinite formal abstractions while inviting the viewer to reflect on the lives that they contain.
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