Voir la Mer

For Voir la mer, Sophie Calle invited inhabitants of Istanbul, who often originated from central Turkey, to see the sea for the first time. "I took 15 people of all ages, from kids to one man in his 80s ... once we were safely by the sea, I instructed them to take away their hands and look at it. Then, when they were ready--for some it was five minutes and for others 15--they had to turn to me and let me look at those eyes that had just seen the sea." The project was eventually composed of 14 five-minute videos, made for Calle by Caroline Champetier. Each person is filmed from behind, eventually turning to face the camera, revealing the emotions the experience has evoked. This charming catalogue features Calle's evocative photographs of these subjects.