Ukraine’s local elections brought the project idea to life in fall 2020.
That specific time of year was remarkable for the huge amount of political posters going up in all inhabited areas, changing familiar views, transforming into the kaleidoscope of ever-changing faces. The long list of candidates got billboards covered and recovered several times during short political campaign as the parties wanted to show their representatives in maximum power and beauty.
In November 2020, politically occupied billboards became free and got chaotically torn by advertising company workers.
Being art photography influenced and exploring contemporary art, I started seeing clear abstract images with strong subtexts, beautiful textures and colors. Considering specific weather conditions billboard paper was often wet and wrinkled. It lost the previous smoothness and beauty though revealed the hidden senses.
As the images disappeared from the billboards the faces of the candidates evaporated from people’s memory. It happened because the images were ‘empty’, giving no candid information or impression on personal qualities or experience.
Having been torn and damaged the portraits gained more specific features.
