MARYAM AK - PHOTOGRAPHER/RESEARCHER
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FRIDAY LOCKDOWNS - A series published in the Fotodemic Diaries Webpage on 1/2/2021.
During the initial lockdown, which lasted from March until June, the Kingdom of Jordan was doing quite well, with very limited infection numbers. This was attributed to the fact that it is a dictatorship where the military and intelligence services reign supreme. For a while, Jordanians were happy that military strength—the only thing that the state ever really catered to—was finally put into effect; It was capable of forcing people to stay at home. it was finally an advantage to be living in a dictatorship.
When the second wave hit in October, things had gotten out of control and we were able to really see the perils of living in a dysfunctional state. Chaos reigns, and interventions by the Jordanian state make little sense. No long-term strategies can ever develop in dictatorships, especially not ones that are based in the middle of a war-zone - the Middle East. By October, infection rates were soaring and Friday lockdowns were subsequently imposed until the end of the year.
My cousin, who is a psychologist tells me that I am a 'schizoid;' I escape reality and and its ugliness by living in my dreams. these photos reveal the places that I escape to, Every Friday lockdown was spent with loved ones around nature. The photos show recurring themes of slowness, languidness, humanity, nature and sweetness - small details that offered moments of stillness and deep understanding while all around everything was constantly transforming and recalibrating.