FaceTime Photography: Alessio Albi
I’m writing from Paris on April 2nd, day 17 of the French government’s “confinement obligatoire.” My days have been spent poorly paying attention to my Zoom lectures, lots of cooking, and lots of scrolling on Instagram.
While I’ve seen this trend popping up more and more in the last few days, I’d like to give credit where credit’s due. Alessio Albi (@alessioalbi) is an Italian fashion photographer I’ve followed for quite some time and he’s the first person I saw continuing his work via video chat.
The first piece he posted was the following, which immediately caught my eye, giving me a sort of hope for artistic persistence during this time.
102.8k Likes, 1,286 Comments - Alessio Albi (@alessioalbi) on Instagram: "Me and Alice @opheliamillaiss quarantined, separated by 200 km, just shot spontaneously trough the..."
There’s a sort of futuristic feel to this type of work. It’s clinical, virtual, and almost alien. It’s fun to see the photographer’s expression as he composes each shot.
In this weird solitude that we’re all experiencing, there’s also a new kind of intimacy that’s sprung up out of the internet. I feel a lot of that coming from these portraits.
85.8k Likes, 796 Comments - Alessio Albi (@alessioalbi) on Instagram: "@chiarascelsi shot in webcam. Distance is no barrier."
Alessio Albi shared a post on Instagram: "Quarantine day 16 with my friend @alinabobyleva777 ,shot in webcam. Feels so good to be able to do..." * Follow their account to see 1,966 posts.
Perhaps this isn’t Albi’s most impressive or advanced work. However, his creativity is a testament to the fact that art doesn’t require fancy cameras, expensive software, or even the right to gather in large groups. With a creative eye, feeling, and a story to tell, art won’t be going anywhere.
Featured image via.
