The project is a series of portraits that reflect the identity loss experienced by the citizens of our modern age while interacting with non-places, which is a consequence of supermodernity. It is a cooperation with Can Pekdemir.

Supermodernity is a concept related with the late capitalistic society which is characterized by its excesses. Excess of time is the result of the accelerated history which leads to an overabundance of events. Excess of space is correlative with the shrinking of the planet and its change of scale, caused by technological advances set off by rapid means of transportation and communication such as aerial transportation, satellite communication and the Internet. The third and last excess is the individual’s response to the first two, excess of ego.

Supermodernity creates non-places. If place can be defined as relational, historical and concerned with identity, then a place which can not be defined as relational, historical, or concerned with identity will be a non-place. As non-places are created by excess of time, space and ego, the distincitive examples can be found in relation to travel as human activity. Today all our circulation and information spaces can be considered as nonplaces and an ever increasing portion of our lives are spent in supermarkets, airports and hotels, on motorways or in front of computers and TVs.

The individual entering the non-place is temporarily distanced from his daily concerns by the environment of the moment. He is identified only on entering and leaving, thus obtaining a temporary anonymity while existing in the non-place. This anonymity provides a passive joy of identity-loss.

Individuals that are isolated from their surroundings in non-places such as airports, highways, subways and supermarkets will be our concern. The portraits are shot with a tele lens, thus the subjects are oblivious to the camera. This prevents the individual to lose his/her anonymity but also simulates the isolated nature of the subject with shallower depth of field.

Keywords
Non-Place, Supermodernity, Identity Loss, Anonymity, Ego, Isolation, Portrait, Photography