220 x 260mm, 36 pages, Black & white printing, Perfect bound, Softcover, Ed. of 50, 2023

Solar Recordings of Phone Calls with Family Members, Friends, and Scammers uses medium format film and the sun's trajectory to explore the complexities of interpersonal connection, longing, and the passage of time. Each photograph's exposure time has been dictated by the duration of a specific phone call, resulting in ethereally solarised images that serve as a tangible, visual record of a significant conversation. 

Inspired by my experience as an immigrant attempting to stay connected with people I love who are scattered across the globe, the visual patterns that emerge from the varying lengths of each call, and thus the corresponding length of the sun's path through each frame, allows the viewer to make inferences about the relationship between myself and the callers. While most of the photographs in this series document conversations with loved ones, certain images also depict calls with scammers and salespeople. Presenting each call in the same way regardless of the level of sincerity or personal importance distills these shared emotional experiences into an extensive index of organizable data.

The resulting series of black and white images is an archive for me; a depository of intimate words, turbulent thoughts, political disputes, and a pervasive longing for loved ones throughout it all. While the aesthetic of the photographs may initially appear stark or post-apocalyptic, their crux lies in the intimate experience of co-creating an image with another person. The desolate attractiveness of the landscapes interrupted by the celestial streak of the sun as it moves across each composition invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of human relationships and longing for meaningful connections in an increasingly interconnected yet isolated world. Each photograph represents a significant moment, visually documenting a shared temporality of relationships that span immense physical distances.

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