Fragments

What is it like to be in a relationship and be constantly separated from your lover? ‘Fragments’ is a long-term black and white series in which I explore how it feels to be together and apart as lovers. The long waits, the longing to be reunited, the special moments along with the anxiety of an imminent separation. Moving across four countries, ‘Fragments’ is a story of a chase, a love letter slowly unfolding across the sea. I started ‘Fragments’ in 2013, soon after graduating from the International Center of Photography in New York. Facing up to the challenges related to having a long-distance relationship over an extended period of time, I wanted to channel my thoughts and energy into something tangible. A private person by nature, I counter-intuitively ventured into depicting my feelings while processing them. By doing that, I wanted to slow down and take the time to look at, reflect on and reveal what closeness means to me. A prolonged and intimate search into myself as lover, partner and artist. I met John in London, UK, in 2012. We fell in love during that summer. Friends, dinners, parties and walks in the park. Time did not constrain us back then, we were floating peacefully in a never-ending 'today'. When I moved to New York City, our time together started to become precious and intensified and this visual journey began. Three cities, four countries, two continents. The starting point in London then New York - my adopted home, Dublin - John’s homeland in Ireland and Italy, where I grew up. These are the emotional landscapes of a tale of love and trust, friendship, separation and reunion. The project is created with a 35mm Yashica film camera and shot on black and white Ilford HP5 Plus film.