A mirage can refer to an optical phenomenon caused by the refraction of light on certain surfaces, creating the illusion of a liquefied appearance. It can also represent an illusion, where something appears to be different from what it actually is. Paul Clemence capitalizes on this dual interpretation in his photographic essay, Modern Mirage, which features Casa do Baile (now the Reference Center for Architecture, Urbanism, and Design), the Art Museum, and the Church of Pampulha. He captures these iconic structures as they are reflected in the water mirrors of the modern complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer in Belo Horizonte, MG.
In the photographs, the building is not directly represented but rather reflected and liquefied. This altered perspective not only simulates the architectural "melting" through a physical phenomenon but also blurs the contours of the modern ideals that canonical architects like Niemeyer represented and continue to aspire to. This visual and indirect approach plays with the dual perception of whether it is a real representation or merely an optical or conceptual illusion.
