The Ghosts of Room 322

I came across Francesco Ridolfi’s new series titled “Room 322” the day it launched and was immediately infatuated with the concept and aesthetics. This work speaks to the part inside us all that loves to people watch and create stories about the intimate details of a stranger’s life. Francesco wanted to construct an impersonal and sterile environment that you would encounter in a hotel but that would also draw a stark contrast to the fragility of its inhabitants. He gives us a peek into the revolving door of a hotel room and the history it holds.

He began to think up this concept when he moved to Brussels and encountered his first in-house bathtub.

I realized that nowadays, taking a bath is one of the rare situations completely for yourself, where you can take time to think and reflect.

The two biggest challenges for Francesco were constructing the set from scratch in his studio and creating his first video piece to go along with the still images.

I decided that for the photos I had in mind, I would have to build the bathroom in my studio, as it would have been impossible to find the right place somewhere (not to mention the lighting and framing problems I would have had in a real bathroom). The challenge here was to find the right materials, keep the costs reasonable and coordinate the building of the set. 

 Several months were spent seeking out the most suitable materials for recreating the space and the atmosphere I had in mind. A classic atmosphere, refined but distancing: antiseptic in some ways – to evoke the ‘depersonalizing’ effect so typical of hotels.

When asked why he creates personal work, Francesco replied:

I think that, as creatives, personal work allows you to express yourself without any kind of limitation. It is the perfect place to create your own world. And that is not only important, but also fundamental, if you want to evolve as a photographer.

To see the entirety of Francesco’s series and behind the scenes footage click here

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