Comfort Zone Helsinki (2019)

In 2019 the World Happiness Report ranked Finland first. The report considered different factors: government framework, generosity and sociality, economy and information technology. The MAP6 collective chose this report as a common theme for the group members’ individual photographic projects.

I decided to focus on social behaviour as a main factor in individuals’ happiness. For the experimental series ‘Comfort Zone Helsinki’, I asked strangers if I could take their picture from various distances ranging from public and social spaces to personal and intimate spaces. Between pictures I moved closer to them. As soon as a person indicated I was getting too close, I stopped photographing. ‘Comfort Zone Helsinki’ explores openness to strangers, trust and social codes in Helsinki.

I consider each of these sessions as a generous gift of both time and trust.