Ups and Downs

During my visit to Munich, Germany, I had the opportunity to see Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned painting, Madonna of the Carnation, at the Alte Pinakothek museum. After exploring the Karlsplatz plaza, I stumbled upon a six-story mall adorned with escalators that connected each floor in the center of the building. Intrigued by this unique architectural design, I decided to make my way to the cafeteria located on the sixth floor. As I ascended the escalator, I noticed that the sides were mirrored, unexpectedly reflecting glimpses of myself as I moved from one floor to the next.

In this image, I drew inspiration from Édouard Manet’s masterpiece, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, where the artist himself appears in the background of the painting. Drawing upon Manet’s influence, I wanted to explore the interplay between the observer and the observed.