2022-2024
In Earworm, intimate gestures of touching and whispering into ears become a lens through which to examine the semiotics of urban connection. The series explores how these fleeting moments of contact transform public spaces into sites of private ritual, where ancient symbolism meets contemporary experience.
The ear—historically a powerful symbol of divine receptivity from Egyptian ear stelae to Christian iconography—serves as both metaphor and medium. In the modern city, where visual stimuli dominate, these tactile interactions create unexpected moments of closeness within the anonymous flow of urban life. The simple act of touching another’s ear or sharing a whispered secret becomes a bridge between public performance and private experience.
Beyond mere documentation, Earworm reveals how these gestures mirror the repetitive patterns of city life itself. Like a song that loops in one’s mind, these small acts of connection repeat and resonate, creating an unspoken language of touch and sound. The series invites viewers to consider how such seemingly minor interactions carry deep cultural and psychological weight, shaping our understanding of intimacy, influence, and human connection in shared urban spaces.
