'Choosing a favorite photo is really difficult for me. Several images are special to me, for example because of the way they came about.
Take this image from my personal series Loveman, created in Argentina. The idea behind it is this: in an increasingly harsh world ruled by the head, someone who follows their heart is almost a superhero. I had the suit custom-made and traveled to Buenos Aires with my assistant to produce the series. One day when we were not shooting, I was walking through the city and spotted a red heart-shaped balloon in a toy store. I bought it, thinking it might come in handy.
A week later, we set off on a road trip with a few Spanish friends toward Salta and Jujuy, two provinces in northwestern Argentina. I had brought the suit and the balloon. As soon as we crossed the hill and entered this valley, I knew: this is Don Quixote! One of my Spanish friends put on the suit, and we inflated the balloon. Because we had nothing else with us, we removed two shoelaces from another friend’s shoes and tied them to the balloon as a string. The wind was strong.
The beauty of the image lies in the struggle between the cactus and the balloon. If the balloon—the vulnerable heart—comes too close, the cactus will puncture it. It is really about the human tendency to protect the heart, especially after it has been hurt. Yet the desire for love can only be fulfilled when you open your heart again.
We also made a film about it. The photo was also included in my solo exhibition at hAI in Rotterdam.'
Name: Maurice Heesen (1969)
Residence: Amsterdam
Info: www.mauriceheesen.com
