Isolation Diary - Pete Kiehart and Kasia Strek

These two photographers, Peter Kiehart and Kasia Strek, have documented their experience with Covid-19 using photography. Kiehart tested positive when he travelled back home after an announced travel ban. They decided to document daily tasks and their time apart from each other even though they were still in the same household. The feelings that they had while being away from each other have been translated into the images with an empty room, endless road and portraits of each other with a window in between. In the portraits you can almost always see the reflection of the other person, that if they were to be standalone images, you can notice that the photographer and subject have a connection. Both photographers have photographed themselves alone and both of them have a window in the image which also shows their connection to one another, both are longing to be together. The overall shot, that is the empty room, was very interesting because it includes different elements that show loneliness. For example, the empty chair gives the feeling that someone is missing, it could be that it is Kiehart's chair and no one is filling that void at the moment. Then there is the door that is closed, and you cannot see the other side unlike the window, that is all the distance there is between them, just a door. The last images, a mix of an interaction image and a clincher, is like a happy ending where finally they can go out together but there is still distance for now which is clearly shown in the image. 

As a documentation in a technical aspect I think it is translated well and people can relate to the feelings. Even though as photographers we are told to avoid reflections, here it has a deeper meaning as mentioned previously. The image with Kiehart wearing a mask and Strek in the the reflection gives a good explanation to what is going on and who is targeted. So, the what would be a pandemic, quarantine, the who is these two characters both in the image and later on we can see where, being inside someone's house. With the help of the mask, we can also answer the question of when, and when you link everything together, it should be noticeable that it is around the year 2020 and 2021 because we relate it to the pandemic. As for how, it should also come naturally with the thought on the pandemic in mind which would be because of contact with one another. 

Overall, this is a nicely executed body of work that includes the right elements in it. 

(Strek, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Kiehart, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)

(Strek, 2020)


Information and images from:

Bogle, E., 2020. Isolation Diary: Photographers Document Their Experience With COVID-19. [online] Npr.org. Available at: <https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2020/04/17/834245538/isolation-diary-photographers-document-their-experience-with-covid-19?t=1605197099329> [Accessed 26 February 2021].

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