“Code: Reboot” 

digital photography 

10 works, 60*60 cm

 2020 

In the project “Code: Reboot, ” I fundamentally challenge the classic notions of how men and women should look and behave, as seen in the work of artist Rodney Smith. His “code” is one of impeccable compositions, strict suits symbolizing masculinity, and ethereal images of femininity used as a backdrop. I use these same images to show how they can be transformed under the influence of the modern world. I don’t simply swap characters (e.g., replacing a gentleman with a businesswoman), but rather demonstrate how these established archetypes can become vulnerable in the face of societal change. Paris, often called the cradle of the Enlightenment and a stage for revolutions, is a deliberate choice. Its architecture, symbolizing classical harmony, provides a contrast for the new imagery: women whose strength and status are expressed through a visual language once considered exclusively male (the suit, the posture, the urban environment). I avoid definitive statements: the compositional references to Smith create a sense of uncertainty and an unfinished transition, reminding us that any change carries the risk of losing something important (historical context, nuance). “Code: Reboot” is a dialogue with the fear of the collapse of old norms and the uncertainty of new ones. By using the “elements” of Smith’s visual tradition, I create new meanings. The work suggests that in an era of change, harmony is not a return to the past nor a blind embrace of the new, but a constant process of rethinking and remaking, where aesthetics become both a defense against chaos and a tool for creating a future that has yet to be written.