These images are from a series by Michal Martychowiec, entitled La Chambre de Labastrie, or the Alabaster Chamber, referring to a fictional room in which the inhabitants can see the outside world, but the outsiders are unable to see inside. Martychowiec portrays the subjects of his photos out of focus, removing the viewer's ability (what he calls privilege of sight) to truly see the subject.
Martychowiec's motive behind this photographic choice is to reverse the usual parallel of the viewer and the subject. Rather than the viewer being able to fully see and analyze the world of the image, the image itself has the privilege of sight over the viewer. Martychowiec's use of black and white reinforces the notion of the viewer's limited sight privilege in not only seeing a limited view of the subject's figure, but also the subject's tones and facial details.
I love these images most of all because of Martychowiec's idea of taking a visual spin on an otherwise abstract, literary idea (Benoit de Saint-Maure's Alabaster Room). There is also something chilling about feeling that you are being watched by the people in these photos, all while being unable to clearly view them yourself.
Martychoiwec's Website: http://michalmartychowiec.com/?art=la-chambre-de-labastrie
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