THE ISOLATING EFFECT OF EVERYDAY TECHNOLOGY

kamil kotarba pictures the isolating effect of everyday technology
images courtesy of kamil kotarba

a few weeks ago, we featured a photographic series by eric pickersgill, which showed smartphones ‘removed’ from the grips and gazes of couples, families, and individuals. the images visually revealed a dependency on devices, and exaggerated the potentially isolating effect of everyday technology.

similarly, polish photographer kamil kotarba riffs on the theme with a series titled ‘hide and seek’. instead of deleting the devices, kotarba retains the smartphone in the frame and rather isolates the technology, removing the subject from the scene. floating hands holding iphones are pictured on park benches, in classrooms and waiting for trains, all places where devices distract from the world around us. the surreal effect highlights the lonely aftermath of a tech-obsession, where people no longer talk to their neighbors or friends, but rather engage with screens and smartphones instead.

the images highlight the potentially isolating effect of technology dependency

two floating hands holding phones look at their phones, rather than engaging with each other

kotarba retains the smartphone in the frame and isolates the technology

each of the images exaggerates the potentially isolating effect of everyday technology

floating hands holding iphones are pictured on park benches, in classrooms and waiting for trains

the images visually reveal a dependency on devices

a man holds a phone in a movie theater, rather than watching the film