by Maria Sofou
Photographer Eric Pickersgill‘s project Removed aims to show the invasion of technology in our lives and its consequences : our need for constant hyper-connectivity and the disturbing addiction to our phones have penetrated modern society, leading to an alarming alienation from one person to another.
Pickersgill captured portraits of everyday life, removing a small yet significant detail. He asked friends and strangers to remain in position and he then removed their phones and digital devices before taking the shot. The surreal effect achieved in his photographs is truly captivating and succeeds in effectively making his point.
Pickersgill’s project began while sitting in a cafe, observing a family : “Family sitting next to me at Illium café in Troy, NY is so disconnected from one another. Not much talking. Father and two daughters have their own phones out. Mom doesn’t have one or chooses to leave it put away. She stares out the window, sad and alone in the company of her closest family. Dad looks up every so often to announce some obscure piece of info he found online. Twice he goes on about a large fish that was caught. No one replies. I am saddened by the use of technology for interaction in exchange for not interacting. This has never happened before and I doubt we have scratched the surface of the social impact of this new experience. Mom has her phone out now.”
You can follow Eric Pickersgill on Instagram.
