wejetset - magazine - CROWDED ISOLATION

CROWDED ISOLATION

eric perriard

A dramatic shift is taking place. Today, Atlantic Cities reported that China, the most populated country in the world, has officially become urbanized. For the first time in their history, more people live in a city than they do countryside – 51.27 percent to be exact, which amounts to more than 690 million people. It’s a notable shift. Rapid urban growth is commanding more and more attention from global leaders as its impact spans infrastructural and cultural demands. This made us think about Eric Perriard and his photography.

Over the last few years, Eric has been investigating urban growth in Seoul, Korea and telling its story in a unique way. As he describes it, “I was excited to artistically examine one of the defining steps in the evolution of our civilization. Within the context of an accelerating urban setting, I developed a photographic essay about people living in a cosmopolitan environment. While wandering in Seoul City, I was looking to catch the instant when an isolated character encounters a moment of self-realization. Has living in cities truly become part of human nature, or are we still adapting ourselves in order to survive? By keeping a certain distance from the subject, I could preserve the tension between the city and its inhabitant in order to start thinking about the human condition in a megalopolis.” Check out his work below – it’s fantastic.

Words: Taj Reid
Photography: Eric Perriard

eric perriard