Ivory Tower

This project was created as an attempt to understand the phenomenon of elitism. How are aspirations for exclusivity and a position of power justified, why are they accepted and how does elitism influence the political health of the society?

The process of distilling the project into a visual form was rather long and difficult -- I was torn apart: being part of the system I had years to observe, listen to and argue with those who formed the elite and those who were outsiders. Equally I felt that I had acquired a sort of Stockholm syndrome for this privileged style of life.

The final images are somewhat contrary to the sophistication and refinement that one would expect from the life in the Ivory tower: they are just as these usually immaculate and manicured lawns that suddenly become littered with trash during posh parties. This visual clash seems to mirror a deep seated conflict between the elite and the rest of the society where power and privileged social status are accepted and resented at the same time.