Nostalgia is a sentimentality of the past and is a term originally coined in Switzerland in the 17th century. Used to describe anxieties felt by many Swiss mercenaries who were forced to leave their homeland, it was original considered a disease whose only cure was to return the sufferer home. It is a paradoxical emotion that, on the one hand can offer great comfort while on the other, can be extremely disquieting and paralyzing and has a habit of distorting memories of the past, making them appear more joyful. Shoreline Paradox considers the shoreline as a space in which to contemplate the destabilizing effects of nostalgia and its inherent connection to nature. How can the natural environment provide solace and beauty while simultaneously imparting feelings of loneliness and disconnection?

Shoreline Paradox explores the shoreline of Lac Léman and the inherent surreality that can be found there. Motivated by my experiences with insomnia, the book combines reflective journal entries with lyrical photographs taken on wandering walks. The photographs depict the space as a symbolic environment that represents a tenuous division between waking life and dreams while the text offer anchoring contemplations on the cause of my insomnia; homesickness which was exacerbated by constant nostalgic reflections.