Solo Dwellers

By Edge of Humanity Magazine, March 7, 2019

A Moment of Reflection
Damien. 36. Filmmaker/lecturer.
“I’d like to meet someone.”

Photographic Artist Louise GAN is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this documentary photography. From the ongoing project ‘Home Alone’. To see Louise’s body of work, click on any image.

Bob. 76. Independent filmmaker.
“It’s just me.”

Van. 32. Student.
Single and ready to mingle.

Ode to “Kaleidoscope Girl”
Robyn. 55. Artist, poet and writer.
Happily single.

The connection between the documentary’s purpose and its subject

I took on this project “Home Alone” following the attention brought to mental health in our modern society. From my personal experience as well as observations made on a lot of mental illness sufferers, I found one common symptom being our over-reliance on other people, such as constantly seeking approval, lacking the ability to overcome judgement, and fearing the absence of our companions. A mentally healthy person may be at risk of falling ill, should he be thrown into a position where he loses his loved ones, due to the unawareness of his previous dependence on those people.

Evening Prayer
Aasiya. 40s. Visual artist.
“I’m a bachelorette.”

Carsten. 56. Neuro-designer. Single.

Jacob. 25. Videographer. Single.

Nena. 46. IT consultant.
“Coming to terms with being single. I’ve got a handsome dog.”

To become mentally independent, one must first find and recognize the value in the Self. In “Home Alone”, Self is reflected through photos of Solo Dwellers of all ages, capacity, race, religion, occupation, habits etc. The significance with solo dwellers is that it singles out each individual from his family/friends/work circle and places him in an environment that magnifies his personality, that is, the home that belongs only to him. The photographs focus on the personalized activities different participants engage themselves in when they are alone and feeling completely secure. I hope that after seeing photos of solo dwellers of such variety, one would find each to be unique in its own way, and that there is no good or bad. Each Self is as special and holds as much weight as any other. Consequentially one may in his mind, begin to seek his own uniqueness.