The passing of time and the traces it leaves behind is something that we usually cannot grasp. It is perhaps for that reason that artists have always been fascinated with the elusive nature of time, and have gone through great pains as they have tried to capture its perpetual escape. Canadian photographer Bart Synowiec’s latest project is yet another attempt to show time and its passing, through a series of photographs depicting abandoned or empty buildings from around the world. The series, titled ''Systematic Compositions,'' captures the decay and destruction that is inevitable once buildings are abandoned by their human denizens, exposing the fragility of human creations and the inevitability of destruction (not unlike Robert Polidori’s photographs of Versailles). At the same time, ‘‘Systematic Compositions’’ is a series of studies on how destroyed or otherwise ''ugly'' settings can be treated as photographic subjects full of beauty and meaning, by means of thoughtful composition and stylised presentation. With the symmetry and care in their composition, the images contain a high degree of detail; as a result, a stark, startling contrast emerges between the derelict spaces depicted and the artful photography itself. 

An exhibition of Bart Synowiec’s ''Systematic Compositions'' series is on display at Mark Christopher Gallery (1594 Queen Street West, Toronto, Canada) until 20 December 2013.