Pjörrt’s ongoing series, Apartamento – which means both ‘apartment’ and ‘separation’ in Portuguese – centres on living spaces and the transformations that occur within them. The Madeira-born, Paris-based photographer draws parallels between the evolution of homes and the shifting of gender identities. ‘Such is the experience of inhabiting a body, fluctuating from one state into another and disposing of baggage to accommodate for new visions.’

Igor Pjorrt Wallpaper* Next Generation 2021
Igor Pjörrt. Dream collaborator: ‘My first thought is of Onfim, a medieval Russian boy whose school notebook doodles were preserved for several centuries. I guess that in general his drawings are very characteristic of a child’s mind and so the answer could simply also be to collaborate with children. I think that in children there is a pure, unfiltered expression of thoughts and dreams that is very precious and which I try to nurture in the way I approach life and how I practise art.’

Pjörrt’s practice recognises the essential support of others. The photographer’s mother joins in playful acts that at once reference the family’s oscillating fortunes and her role as a safe port in a tumultuous world. Apartamento, is a reflection of its moment, offering a glimpse into the inner worlds of Pjörrt and family members as they find themselves confined in their apartment during the pandemic. Through the unusual series of images, Pjörrt offers a timely meditation on the intermingling of gender, sexuality, race, class and domesticity. §