Art du Jour - L'Hôtel, Chambre 47

L'Hôtel, Chambre 47 by Sophie Calle photographs and ink 84 x 56 in 1981

When I have a lot on my mind, I like to go for a walk and “disappear” into my surroundings. It’s a great way to lose yourself, being the fly on the wall is both liberating and insightful. Sophie Calle uses voyeurism as her paintbrush in her 21-part series to explore identity, emotion and intimacy during her time as a chambermaid in a Venice Hotel in 1981. Not only did she photograph these hotel rooms, she deduced stories for each guest based on her findings, even going as far as rummaging through wastebaskets to collect letters and other contents.