Ensaio sobre a cegueira.
New York, October 2024
New York has held me spellbound for years. From the days of my youth, when I'd wander its streets aimlessly, capturing moments with my Pentax ME Super, to now, watching the frenzied ballet of cultures and styles through my iPhone, this city has always captivated me. At every turn, there's an overwhelming feast of art, technology, architecture, music, fashion, and a vibrant cultural tapestry unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Yet, paradoxically, as this city that never sleeps ceaselessly renews itself, offering an unparalleled visual spectacle, its inhabitants seem increasingly isolated within their own private worlds. Ironically, amidst this abundance, people are becoming increasingly blind to the beauty that surrounds them. The same Manhattan that once inspired me to explore every nook and cranny has now become a stage for a monotonous performance: individuals, their gazes fixed on their smartphones, oblivious to the grandeur of the metropolis.
Faced with this strange reality, I decided to document this world of people who see without truly seeing. A world devoid of presence and engagement. Inspired by José Saramago's dystopian masterpiece, I titled this photographic essay, ironically, "Blindness: Ensaio sobre a cegueira."
In this world hypnotized and enslaved by screens, "Blindness" invites us to reflect on our relationship with technology and reality. The images reveal a paradoxical scene: individuals immersed in their digital realms, their eyes imprisoned by the virtual world, while the tangible reality around them fades into obscurity.
Each image is a portrait of the voluntary blindness that characterizes contemporary society. As we become increasingly entangled in the virtual world, we disconnect from the present moment. Streets, once vibrant hubs of interaction and serendipitous encounters, have transformed into labyrinths of solitary figures, their gazes fixed and their minds numbed, isolated amidst the crowd.
It's remarkable how easy it has become to photograph people on the street unnoticed. They simply don't see you. It's as if you're invisible.
This essay is not a condemnation of technology nor a vilification of smartphones and social media. Technology, in and of itself, is not the villain. The issue lies in how we choose to use it. By passively consuming digital content, we forfeit the opportunity to fully experience the world around us, to forge genuine connections, and to embrace the richness of human experience.