On a personal note-
For the duration of my time in Milan, the “metropolitana” trains served as an essential aspect of my daily routine, whether it was for work, studies, or leisure activities. The experience of traversing the city centre on the subway was one that held great significance to me, a mode of transportation that was imbued with a sense of awe and reverence. The city’s vibrant energy was palpable, and the diversity of individuals encountered on the journey was a source of fascination and intrigue.
Despite the evolving nature of the experience, from an initial sense of joy and adventure to a more habitual routine, a sense of connection with my fellow commuters endured. However, upon relocating to Melbourne in 2008, a profound shift occurred. The initial novelty of a new environment soon gave way to the realisation that this sense of communal connection was waning, and a creeping apathy was setting in.
By 2010, I began to observe a pervasive sense of disinterest among commuters, a lack of engagement that permeated the daily routine of travelling to and from work. This phenomenon was indicative of a broader societal trend, a trend that I would later explore in my photographic project.
In Melbourne, the urban landscape was undergoing significant transformation, with the closure of shops, the proliferation of towering apartment blocks, and a wave of gentrification sweeping across the suburbs. As a result, many individuals were forced to live further and further away from the city centre, leading to longer and more isolated commutes.
The project I embarked on sought to capture the essence of this mundane, solitary, and robotic experience that has become an integral part of contemporary society. Shot on traditional analogue film, the travels on trains, buses, and trams of Melbourne became the subject of my visual essay, titled “Behind This Line”. This project, completed between 2010 and 2018, explores the impact of commuting on the individual, and challenges the viewer to reflect on the sacrifices made in the pursuit of productivity and success in the modern world.
-Carlo Oggioni