A Time For Us

BY GLAUCO CANALIS

This series is the first stretch of an investigation into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationships, both amongst the households it seeks to document, as well as between the photographer and subject. During a time of unprecedented uncertainty, our relationships with others are more important than ever to sustain mental health
and well-being. Yet social distancing measures challenges these relationships, forcing to seek new ways to connect with those around us.
Through cycling and documenting the experience through photography, this series seeks to enact a process of self-care through maintaining physical and mental well-being and sustaining relationships with my community. The first images of this series capture transient, socially distanced interactions found on doorsteps and the rooftops of apartment buildings, or in local parks. Many of the subjects are forced to live in small, crowded rented spaces in South London without access to gardens. The images point to the pressure this can place on relationships in households, and the impact on mental health and well-being. Those with gardens and private spaces do not appear.
As an artist, I felt obliged to develop my intimate angle and perception of this revolutionary time that will define our lives for the decades to come.
Yet I strived not to join the wave of poignant narratives focusing on the dramatic aspects of this pandemic, but looking at what surrounded me and questioning how the people were coping through this unique moment.

London, 26/06/2020

Bio

My work reflects on the notions of identity and place.
Through a continuous research on youth and underrepresented communities I have explored the nexus between identity and place and how are these reflecting the narrative of our time. I look at my work with the idea of what it will mean in a future era.
In this post-dated perspective everything becomes relevant, attitude, fashion, architecture and the landscape the subjects inhabit.
My areas of interest have been mainly the Mediterranean, where I come from, and the UK, where I currently live, and I’m fascinated by the contrasting and common traits between these two cultures. The documentary aesthetic of my work has informed my commercial work, making it my distinctive look to bring out a raw and personal angle from the subjects and matters I portray.