Arrière-pays
Arrière-pays roughly translates to “inland region¨ but literally translates to “back country”.
During the first two years of the pandemic, I was trapped in a city centre apartment. The early Covid soundtrack of ambulance sirens added to the claustrophobia and stress and I lost interest in the idea of photographing strangers in city streets. I began to long for nature, simplicity and open spaces.
Once the lockdown restrictions lifted, I found myself gravitating to the serene inland region, just beyond the thronging coast, in south eastern France.
I make frequent trips to the small villages and to the forests, olive groves and vineyards in this region. Everything seems slower and less complicated here. I hike in the hills, swim in the rivers and lakes and eat the fruit and vegetables that grow locally.
I immerse myself in the slow, deliberate process of capturing my surroundings. I have become acutely aware of the flora and the shifting rhythms of the seasons. There is a deep satisfaction in this unhurried flow. It’s a return to something softer, slower … a feeling of being deeply connected to both the process and the landscape.
work in progress
from 2023