Rome 2020: The Absence and the Sound of the Wind

Visual Culture

May 6

An empty bus stop near the Colosseum and a closed ticket office, Rome 2020. — Absence - Colosseum, Rome 2020 —

The closed monumental gates of a historic building cast sharp shadows on the cobblestones as a car drives by on a deserted street during the early stages of the pandemic, Rome 2020. — Absence – Rome 2020

It hasn’t been easy deciding to go out and take photos of my hometown these past few days. COVID-19 has changed our lives. Fear has spread everywhere, just like the virus. Personally, I’ve asked myself many times whether I should go out to take photos. In the end, the answer was yes, I must. It was an emotional journey through beauty, silence, fear, and alienation, with moods shifting constantly and rapidly. The surreal feeling of walking down Via Condotti and hearing only the sound of my shoes and the wind… it’s hard to explain. I had to go out and take photos. Because the structure of my photography project is based on a photojournalistic approach. So I couldn’t miss out on this time, which is so important for my life and yours, in Rome.

I tried to move as discreetly and unobtrusively as possible, to go with the flow, and to describe the emotions I was feeling at that moment. It’s no easy task to describe absence—especially in one of the most iconic and wonderful cities in the world.

I still don't know how to structure this sad story. Or how to use the photos in the next two books.

What I hope is that the situation will change soon, because I’ve seen my fair share of dramatic events. This is no longer a sustainable situation. Health and mental illness are becoming a serious problem that needs to be addressed.