Mala tempora currunt sed peiora parantur
Marcus Tullius Cicero
(Bad times are upon us, but the worst has yet to come)
Thus, it seems, Cicero said just before the end of the Roman Republic, many years ago. Never was a phrase more fitting to describe these “strange days” of quarantine we are experiencing in the first half of 2020. But now we have entered “Phase 2” of this emergency, so we must allow ourselves to be a bit more optimistic than our illustrious ancestor.
The Quarantine. It All Started When…
Well, when did it actually start? Honestly, we don’t even remember anymore! The past two months have felt like suspended time. We’ve been confined to our homes, forced to reshape our spaces, our lives, our relationships, everything, to prevent our invisible enemy from harming us and others. We’ve tried to fill the time we didn’t have before, scrambling to pretend we could do it all, clinging to the unsustainable excuse that we didn’t have time for anything before. So, we became bakers, pizza makers, chefs, bloggers, hairstylists, social media managers, politicians, virologists, commentators, everything, as we always do as Italians, when a topic of discussion grabs our attention.
The Fear…
But in reality, what we were really feeling was fear. Fear not just of the virus, but of ourselves, of the empty silences, of the deep “self” we were forced to confront, and of the answers we would have to give ourselves. We’re not used to this. We don’t have time for it. Our daily rush has caused us to lose touch with our own essence, and we don’t know how to manage it when it comes back. Yet, during this time of isolation, we’ve had the chance to spend more time with ourselves, as well as with our loved ones. Who knows, this might help us rediscover ourselves, even just a little.
Quarantine?… Let’s Take Photos!
During these quarantine days, despite the demands of remote working, I’ve had time to reflect on all of this and how to face this period. It hasn’t been difficult. Challenging, yes, but not difficult. After a period of disorientation and confusion, everything slowly started to fall back into place in my days. I even found the desire to photograph again, something that had completely disappeared at first. Thanks to the “Strange Days” project by my friends from the Rifredi Immagine Photography Group in Florence and their video-conference evenings, as well as the “Cronache Quaranteniche” project promoted by FIAF, I found inspiration in the everyday things around me.
A Small Gallery of Images
So, here’s a brief gallery of some images I captured during this time. These images represent the new objects and ways of life that have been accompanying us for nearly two months, and that, I fear, we will have to continue living with for a while longer. I wanted to capture them in my own way, so they remain in our memory.
I don’t want to agree with Cicero; I want to stay more positive and hope that the worst is behind us. After all, Phase 2 has begun… hasn’t it?
If you like my pictures, please go to see more on my Galleries Page.