The Country Above The Clouds: Scenes Across Eritrea is a contemporary street and self-portrait photography series that spotlights Eritrean pride, strength, and resilience. The project brings together contextual images taken in Eritrea, setting the scene and creating a backdrop for a self-portrait of the photographer.
The title, inspired by chapter one of Michela Wong’s book “I Didn’t Do It for You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation” and the feeling one gets when landing in Eritrea. At 7,600 ft – a mile and a half high – the capital of Asmara lies at the same heady altitude as many of Europe’s ski stations. The sky often remains a crisp, cloudless blue, and the stars shine vividly against minimal light pollution. The sharp, alpine sunlight can be both beautiful and harsh, washing colors into stark contrasts and chapping the skin. The altitude, combined with thin air, lends an almost disorienting sensation, affecting both the body and temperament.
Eritrea is a beautiful country with a somber tinge, for it has been premised on tragedy. Colonized five times, conflict kept Asmara locked in time, creating in the process an accidental treasure of memory, architecture, and culture. This project portrays the love Eritreans have for their country, revealing a people whose identity and passion persist despite being often overlooked in global history.
