Precautionary Project: Press 4 for Support

The Precautionary Project is a photography and video project that started on March 15th 2020. The idea was to produce photo and video documentation of people in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in Athens, Greece.

The procedure is as follows: I visit people outside their apartments from a distance, only for 10 to 15 minutes. I ask them to show me how they cope with isolation and pose in front of the camera. They stand right on their doorstep or on their balconies/windows. After I take their photo, I hand them a fully sterilized camera in a box for them to keep for 48 hours and shoot short videos of their daily activities during the quarantine. The footage constitutes the second part of the project that slowly forms a short documentary on the subject.

This unprecedented situation presented itself to me as an incentive. The project seemed important to initiate during this specific circumstance not only because of a personal need to remain active, but mostly because I realized that this condition of confinement is unfamiliar to everyone including myself for a great number of reasons, perhaps different for each individual. Indeed, during the few minutes I spend with the participants we both decompress and sometimes even manage to communicate a few personal thoughts and concerns. The project will continue until everything comes back to whatever “normal” will be from now on.

Please note that all the necessary precautionary measures are applied throughout the procedure of documentation.

Special thanks to the participants:

George Xesternos, Maria Koukoutsi, Mary Thivaiou, Dimitris Jimos, Giannis Vasilottos, Giorgos Imeris, Dimitris Deligiannis, Ilianthi Cocolatou, Michael Brokalakis, Maria Gkresta, Joanna Bisbis, Spiros Matsaggos, Ifigeneia Makri, Konstadinos Plemmenos, Maria Nefeli Douka, Stelios Dimopoulos, Vicky Makri, Sophia Makri, Agapi Makri Mountzouri, Giorgos Mountzouris, Christos Tsouliais, Elektra Stampoulou, Selina Diamantopoulou, Dimitra Stampoulou, Elisavet Flokopoulou, Thanasis Mavromatis, Serenata Serano, Marilena Aligizaki, Alex Salis, Dimitra Gourgouli, Nektarios Konstantinou, Spiros Tzimas, Eri Mpalta, Theoharis Marinos, Irine Mpalta Marinos, Nick Stathopoulos, Yiouli Triantafillou, Eleana Stravodimou, Panagiotis Gritzos, Manolis Kasimatis, Kimon Mandalios, Artemis Xeniou, Vicky Adamou and more…

Stay safe, healthy and happy.

2020