“The series came about when the Covid-19 lockdown was announced in Ireland. I usually do street photography. Because the streets were so empty and most people were indoors, I decided to adapt and turn the lens on the two people I saw everyday, which were my parents.
With the pandemic the mood of the country was gloom and anxiety. I decided I wanted to integrate humour and colour to my images as an antidote to the stresses of lockdown.
I also noticed, as lockdown continued, I was feeling nostalgic and replaying memories of what had been. I read an article saying how it was a common phenomenon for people to daydream nostalgic thoughts as a form as escapism from the pandemic. I wanted to mix nostalgia into the series.
Growing up, in Ireland in the 1990s, I would always see Catholic religious iconography images in people’s houses. These images fascinated, amazed and also bewildered me. I wanted to incorporate these images into the series. I am also drawn to the monotony associated with working class life and how small details of colour and play can become marvels in monotonous settings.”
Some of Enda’s prints from his Homebound series are for sale as part of Halftone 2020 which runs in the Library Project until Sunday December 6.
