Oui ou non: "Untitled, #3"

Oui ou non: "Untitled, #3"
2020: Paris, France
Medium-format film, Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex
Edition of 25
Not framed, will be shipped flat in mat board

Project Title: Oui ou non: Uncertainty in 2020 and the modern world

I was living in Paris, France doing an intensive language immersion program when the coronavirus broke out. In mid-March, I decided within 14 hours to take a last-minute flight to my home country, the United States, as I did not want to experience going into quarantine in my tiny 6’ by 12’ rented room in Paris. I assumed that the quarantine would only last a few weeks and I could promptly return back to France though I quickly realized I was mistaken. As it turned out, I was not able to go back to France for the entire rest of the year though I hope to return when the borders reopen.

During my studies in Paris, I was able to take a few photos at the La Défense financial district with my medium-format camera. Titled “Oui ou non,” I wanted to base this next project on the ambiguous feeling of “yes or no” for when I could return to France that started only two weeks after I took these photos. I also wanted to highlight the rapid change and brooding uncertainty during the year of the coronavirus. During my time of quarantine in the United States, it became an unsettling experience of wondering yes, I will be able to return to France while also saying no, I will unfortunately not be able to go back. My images focus on sharp contrasts, pitched angles and unidentifiable structures where “yes” some images reveal a part of the image on the page while “no” other parts are missing, leaving behind an empty void.