On the Road 

Curator: Achraf Baznani's photography, such as this work entitled "On the Road", presents a dreamlike quality, wouldn't you agree? The vintage style suitcase, the tiny figure... Editor: Absolutely, it feels staged and carefully constructed to evoke a sense of melancholic longing, the slightly faded colors amplify that. I wonder if it speaks to our current precarity, that constant feeling of being uprooted and on the move, maybe even feeling like an outsider. Curator: It's intriguing how the artist uses the juxtaposition of scale; the oversized luggage immediately grabs our attention. Given the material make-up and visual signs of this worn suitcase, you've got to ask yourself about its history, production and also what sorts of labour went into it. Editor: Yes, thinking of the labour! And that's precisely what gives it a presence beyond mere form. The symbolic weight the paper airplanes lend also adds to a narrative, one almost protesting restrictions and limited freedom... The planes cut through space; what message do they convey? Curator: In that sense, the "On the Road" work evokes both freedom and the tangible elements of journeying itself; in my view it blends those two things very neatly. We consider mobility as a luxury, something manufactured to us at great human and environmental costs, especially labour that goes uncredited... Editor: Right, and the barefoot figure could point to vulnerabilities. The sepia tones and vintage clothing seem to ground it in nostalgia while the impossible scale nudges the viewer toward contemplation around social roles, race, perhaps even the expectations of certain identity performances as travel has been sold to us. Curator: It’s technically sound; considering the layers, textures and contrasts. "On the Road" invites one to unpack it from so many perspectives. For an image with fantastical, or surreal, elements, this feels so raw and candid, right? Editor: Exactly. Considering all, I take from this is an exploration of movement and constraints – the subject's dreams potentially stunted by an oppressive societal landscape... a kind of bittersweet hope, perhaps.