COVID19 - My experience in Shanghai

This series of pictures happened during the outbreak of the COVID19. I saw the city where I have been living for 4 years turn into something like a ghost city. Shanghai is a vibrant city known for its intense rhythm, population and businesses. I am documenting my own story, the general fear and the social isolation during the COVID19 in Shanghai. China was about to celebrate the year of the Rat, but the COVID19 reminded us that we can’t control everything. The pressure of the epidemic, media, rumours, fake news, families, and friends created a massive panic. Chinese people and foreigners alike deserted the city in a few days. Places I used to know that were always crowded were closed. I started facing social isolation. I kept walking to the same streets where I used to meet my friends. I was only meeting ghosts because most of my friends had already left the country. During these days I didn’t talk, see anyone, or have any eye contact. I was wandering outside, trying to give a sense to my days and to my life in a country that was not familiar anymore. The only silhouettes I could notice were on ads. I was alone with street CCTV, we were looking at each other. I decided to take my camera to document this insane moment I was experiencing. It is probably the most intense experience I ever lived. I was alone in the chao asking myself what I should do and if I should abandon my life here. But I decided to stay despite the French consulate recommendations and the pressure of people I know who were telling me to go back to France. During social isolation, I faced different experiences and emotions: I feared the unknown of the situation, I felt abandoned, I felt losing the sense of time like nothing had sense anymore, I was depressed asking myself when I will share a meal with somebody again, I felt I was losing control of my life and I was scared of it. I felt trapped in my own destiny. It is crazy how my mind tried to be constantly occupied to not become crazy. After a few weeks, some locals started to go outside again, and I understood that life is still here. I decided to go outside with my camera as much as I can to deal with my anxiety. Photography has saved my soul during the most challenging time of my life.