Land of sunshine

This photographic series was captured in San Francisco and Las Vegas in September 2009. It marked my first return to the United States since the late 1990s, when I had lived and studied in California. Visiting these cities for the first time after the 2008 financial crisis was a profoundly striking experience.

I was deeply moved by the heightened contrasts that had become even more pronounced: the opulence and the beauty juxtaposed with the harrowing depths of human misery. These extremes coexisted within the same urban fabric, creating cities as captivating as they were controversial. At the time, I could not have imagined that these stark realities would remain so relevant today, continuing to challenge our perceptions of prosperity, inequality, and resilience.

This project invites viewers to reflect on the enduring dualities of these cities, places of opportunity and hardship, brilliance and despair, connection and isolation. Through these images, I hope to capture not only a moment in time but also the timeless complexities of cities that continue to intrigue and provoke.