Compare our world of today to the one as recent as 20 years ago. Thanks to internet, social media, “artificial” online friends, gratification of instant contact – world “shrunk”, brought us closer – virtually. But are we really closer?
Barcelona based photographer Hector Arnau in his photo series called “In Boxes”, explores theme of human compartmental segregation – often self imposed. “In Boxes” provides not so modest narrative on false virtual lives many of us live. We separate ourselves by artificial (“cardboard”) barriers, not allowing, or maybe forgetting of real human contact and not able to show who we truly are inside. Characters in the pictures making an effort to get out of their confined spaces, unable to break imaginary barriers, separations that we’ve created to protect vulnerable selves. Aren’t we similarly trying to escape claustrophobic state of starvation for human contact, and then in futile desperation reach out to online worlds just to be-friend this faceless avatar we’ve never seen before.
You can find more of Hector Arnau’s photography here.

Photography by: Hector Arnau