a meeting with yourself

'a meeting with yourself' is a series on behavior in isolation. The portraits were lensed in April 2019 during the Salone del Mobile Milan at The Museum, in which RVDA created a photographic installation. Encapsulated in a loud soundscape guests were seated, alone, in a near pitch-black room completely isolated from the overwelming crowdedness of Milan city centre. A room in which to contemplate, to overthink, to focus, to mesmerize, to have a meeting with yourself.
Where some visitors were very much at ease others kept moving about, where some just closed their eyes and relaxed others kept looking around trying to find something to see in the darkness, some immediately ran away where others, after some time, were given small tasks. How does one react to an unvisible voice telling you what to do? All this was captured by a hidden camera. Due to the long exposures, to counter the darkness, the ease or unease was captured.

A year after this project was realised The Netherlands was thrown into it's first Covid lockdown and all of a sudden everyone was asked to step out of society and had to overthink lives. The parallels between the different reactions to such an alienating situation are obvious. And thus gained a meeting with yourself in meaning.