unbehagen i

“On earth, man is weighed down by gravity, his body encased in heavy muscles; he sweats; he runs; he strikes; even, with difficulty, he leaps. At times, nevertheless, I have unmistakably seen, amidst the darkness of fatigue, the first tinges of color that herald what I have called the dawn of the flesh” Yukio Mishima “Sun and Steel”

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Unbehagen (Uncomfortable) explores the duality of body and mind through the use of Thai boxing elements in photography. It delves into the body as an instrument of action and the mind as an instrument of thought. Silent thoughts are depicted as creative forms of gravitational actions, carried out by the weight of the body. In the constant fluctuation of mental strength and body power, the mind must yield to the body.

The phrase "Boxing is a body-centered sacrificial universe" captures the essence of this exploration. The faceless subject, concealed behind hand straps, seeks protection from the gaze of the unknown. The camera serves as a silent witness, and the photographer-subject is merely a “caged machine operator.”

Mirrors are employed to emphasise the artificiality of the boxing cage performance. As viewers, we too become part of the documentation, framed by a sightless and unhinged subject.

This series of photographs revolves around the concept of self-protection, portraying the vulnerability of a sightless subject thrust into a pitch-black ring, “akin to a shadow boxer.”
Unbehagen aims to delve into the notion of self-annihilation, rebirth, and spiritual enlightenment.

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