Huts, temples, castles

Huts, Temples, Castles compiles the photographic work of Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, captured primarily across the Middle East and Central Asia during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The collection explores the architectural remnants and ephemeral structures of civilizations spanning from ancient Mesopotamian sites to modern nomadic dwellings. Schulz-Dornburg’s practice is rooted in a fascination with how human-made structures interact with the shifting landscapes of desert and plateau, documenting not only the grandeur of historical sites but the understated resilience of functional, temporary architecture.

Published by MACK in 2022, this monograph serves as a definitive catalog of an expansive, multi-decade artistic project that gained retrospective recognition within the art world for its rigorous formal compositions and sociological depth. The book design emphasizes the stark, minimalist quality of Schulz-Dornburg’s black-and-white photography, presenting these structures as silent witnesses to the passage of time. The volume has been critically lauded for its archival importance, framing the photographer’s travels not just as documentation, but as a meditation on the intersection of geography, history, and human impermanence.