Overlook - How can Romantic aesthetics and contemporary digital photography be used to challenge the Romantic fantasy of Aotearoa/New Zealand as an untouched paradise?

Abstract

When I first arrived from France to New Zealand in 2019, I arrived with preconceived ideas of this place where the nature was untouched, preserving landscapes, and a harmonious society. Generally, I tend to romanticise my experiences and to cultivate an inner dreamy state where fantasies help me move through the complexities of life. I first traveled all around this country in a van accompanied by other backpackers from around the world. We dreamed and lived this Romantic way of life, and were all wearing rose-tinted glasses rendering us blind to the 'other sides' of this place