Susanna Pozzoli #dressuptocheerup

INSIDE
photographic exercise during my lockdown in Montreuil (Paris), text published on INSTAGRAM:

I am an Italian photographer, living in Montreuil, just outside Paris. I develop a personal research working with photography, text and video and I work on
assignments internationally. During the week leading up to the lockdown in France, all my activities planned for 2020 were cancelled. I was very afraid of
letting go, of getting depressed because of the situation in the north of Italy, as my family live there, adding to that the loneliness and isolation, the
professional disappointments, the economic instability....
To cope with the situation, I came up with a project, a “photographic exercise” to motivate myself and keep the more fun side of my personality alive. Every day, I put on a show. I ditched my pajamas to create little metaphors for my situation or to embody legendary female characters. Every day I post the result on INSTAGRAM.
Until then, I had never imagined myself as a possible photographic subject and I always focused my attention on other aspects. However, in this unexpected and unique context, it was a vital impulse that guided me: what else could I photograph in my forced solo retreat?
This daily exercise also seemed to me a way to maintain a connection with friends and family scattered among Paris, Milan, New York, Toronto and Chiavenna (my
hometown). Like a juggler, I made it my mission to provoke heartfelt laughter, at least one smile a day, sometimes bitter, other times cheerful and light. This exercise ended with the lockdown.

Rules of the game:
- 1 photo a day for the duration of the confinement: a daily photographic exercise
- let inspiration take shape without censorship or too much thought: it’s a game!
- Invite others to take part by posting their own photos using #dressuptocheerup (it actually didn’t work)
- Use only what I have at home or make/sew my costume or disguisewith the materials available
- associate a text with each image or series to sincerely express my state of mind
- use the 10 seconds of the self-timer (because my camera doesn’t work with a remote control)
- do my best but keep the fun side, the pleasure of these stagings which are primarily for me to punctuate my day in confinement, to stay active and try something new.
Susanna