The term window shopping describes the activity of looking into shop windows without buying anything or sometimes even entering the store. This is what I have been doing for a while. Because people who are not vaccinated against Covid are only allowed to enter shops that sell “essential goods” like supermarkets, drug stores and so on. Does it make any medical sense? I guess not and it seems like these rules will end soon. But they are still in effect here so all I can do for now is window shopping.
While walking the main shopping street I came across these mannequins. I stopped to look at them and saw that we both share the same predicament. I was looking in unable enter and shop but the mannequins were looking out unable to leave and live.
The two on the left look decidedly unhappy, their eyes gazing out into the cold evening wishing to be able to join the people outside. Their friend on the right decided to pull the wool over her face to simply deny the existence of an outside world that might be worth living. Being stuck and unhappy or willfully ignorant, seems like a choice between a rock and a hard place.
These two on the other hand were outright playful. They knew they would never leave this place on their own. They are mannequins after all. But they also knew their power. How to present themselves to entice potential shoppers into entering the store. The way they held their heads looking at me. One running her hands over her body showing me where my hands might just end up if would just buy a nice set of lingerie for someone special. The other one holding her hands behind her back as if to offer the possibility of something more “advanced”. I tried to give these two scantily clad ladies my number but they were way too cool to accept it. But hopefully soon these rules about who can shop where will be gone and I might make a more personal visit.
Photographic Notes:
These images were made with a Fujifilm X-E4, a TTArtisan 17mm f1.4 manual lens and the Cinestill800 film recipe at around 7 pm. This film recipe is ideal for the kind of artificial light used in shop windows.