In the aftermath of the pandemic, lingering undertones permeate people’s daily routines. Life has continued as usual for some people, while others' lives subtly changed. In public, people may appear like before, however, personal unspoken feelings persist.
The Aftermath series depicts the residual impact of the pandemic on everyday life using accessible and commonplace subject matter. Continued day-to-day impact on altered habits, from shopping in retail stores to online shopping, and the change from in-person to virtual social engagements, has permeated our culture and being. While life may seem back to normal on the outside, the repercussions continue through systemic dysfunction, severed ties, and new habits. Routine activities have new meaning as we find ourselves in places we never expected.
Photographing subjects over time that are initially familiar, my process transforms them into something new. As I continued to photograph the shopping carts, their meaning evolved and deepened. The more I photographed, the more I internalized the pandemic’s residual impact on both me and our culture. The untouched carts became personified as my process evolved, reflecting personal feelings of both loneliness and abandon.
Reflection, 2023