When thinking of what home means to me, I don’t usually tie it to a physical house. Home to me is instead where I come from. I have been taking photos of Madison recently, exploring themes that are new to me. Now that we are in quarantine, I am back at home, right outside of Chicago. However, my home doesn’t feel like home.
When I put on a mask and go outside to explore and photograph the streets that used to feel like home, things are different. There is barely any traffic. All of the shop windows are empty, some even boarded up. The restaurants are empty. The sidewalks are pretty empty, only a few people with masks, crossing the streets when someone is coming near. The way the Coronavirus has changed the way the city looks is like nothing I have experienced before. Through this series I have explored what my home looks like during these times. I was able to emphasize the beauty of the city, the things I have always loved in a different way than I was ever able to. Due to the fact that everyone is staying at home, the emptiness allowed for minimal obstructions in the images. This also created a unique mood to the images, as the places captured are typically crowded. There are also things in the city that are unique to this time. There are signs everywhere, spreading messages about COVID-19, where there are usually messages about concerts or restaurants in Chicago. The way our lives are very different right now allowed for me to capture my home in a unique way, showing its beauty without distractions, and highlighting the changes due to Coronavirus. |