If you had to choose three life moments that have shaped who you are today, what would they be?
If I had to choose three life moments that have shaped who I am, I would start with the Arab Springs and the beginning of the Syrian Civil War. I grew up in Switzerland, but my father is Syrian and his side of the family was living there at the time. So it was quite a big change in 2011 not being able to regularly go visit my relatives in Syria anymore and eventually growing away from a part of my identity. My grandparents had to flee their home and leave everything behind. It made me realize that things aren’t forever, and that everything can change pretty quickly. To this day, this part of my identity still inspires some of my photographic projects.
The second moment would be when I shifted from architecture studies to photography. I had already been working with photography during my architecture studies, and that was actually the part I liked most. I found it fascinating to create images conveying the essence of unbuilt architectural projects. I later decided to pursue this passion by going to photography school, which in time led me to work with photography professionally.
Finally, the third one would be moving in with close friends in a shared housing, challenging the social norms and expectations of a couple in their 30s. My girlfriend and I decided to invest our time into friendships as much as in our couple, therefore building a greater community of people supporting each other in tough times and in daily life.
Discussion about this post