Surely, at times you must have visualized your favourite personalities in most unlikely places, doing something that is totally out of their character. These crazy imaginings are generally consigned to the dustbin of the mind after some time and forgotten.
However, Michaël Massart, a Belgian photographer, has taken these visualizations a step further. What he did was not only to visualize the most hated and feared Darth Vader of the Star Wars fame In ordinary jobs, but he also reduced these uncanny visualizations in the form of photographs!
Although a keen sportsman, Massart suffered a knee injury in 2008, forcing him to abandon sports and turn towards photography. Soon he became passionate about this hobby and decided to embark upon something unique. He retold the story of Darth Vader, where this Lord of Darkness gets fed up with his evil ways and tries to turn a new leaf by doing mundane jobs like everyone else.
Massart aptly named this project ‘The Empire against the Crisis’. He portrays Darth Vader in financial crisis after the assumed bankruptcy of the Empire that forces him, along with his Stormtroopers, to seek ordinary jobs, such as delivering packages, managing toilets, driving a bus, washing dishes and cars and many more. They do all this to tide over the financial crisis and save money to build their next ‘ultimate weapon’ to defeat the rebels.
Massart’s quirky series that showcases different scenarios for Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers are hilarious and thought-provoking, at the same time. After seeing his unlikely visualizations, you are certain to wonder, “What if….”.
Whether Massart finds Darth Vader up to the tasks he has visualized for him is a moot point, but one thing that comes across quite clearly in these photographs is that this villain is quite a misfit for these lay jobs. And why not, this evil being has ruled the Dark Forces with an iron fist and fitting into the shoes of a layman is certainly not his cup of tea.
Massart’s unique thinking and presentation has got the social media all excited and opened up an entirely new dimension in photography
Michael Massart
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