Close Encouters of The 19th Kind

Starting from March 2019, I took the decision to photograph every concert or night at the disco I participated in, using the low-quality camera of an old smartphone. This search for software errors caused by the overload generated by the excessive and changing lighting forcibly stopped in February 2020, with all music events are being canceled. Started on the verge between technical experimentation and testimony of life, and after a forced stop that lasted months, I got back to the archive of the project, consisting of over 4000 images. Due to the historical time we are living in, the same photos have taken a new meaning and interpretation. These images no longer speak about the past, but of a possible future where people are afraid to be among others. This is the cabin fever: the fear of getting back to social life after prolonged isolation, as a consequence of the COVID-19 lockdowns. After being isolated for months, each of us may be afraid to go out and have social interactions. In the chaos of a concert, in the middle of the crowd and with blinding lights, how many people will feel trapped? How many will experience a close encounter of the 19th kind?