AMIRA

“It’s frowned upon, it’s not talked about, it just doesn’t exist and if you have it, you are just supposed to pretend that it’s not happening.”

Amira opening up about her experience with depression and how her Haitian upbringing stigmatized the conversation.
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Always Hidden Always Present

Mental illness has always been present in the world but only recently have people began to discuss it more openly. I have personally struggled with depression for many years and after my sibling attempted suicide a few months ago, I knew I had to work through these emotions using my art. For this series, I wanted to create an intersection between art and technology with a focus on mental health. Using tintypes, I captured individuals who have dealt with depression and included intimate recordings of each subject’s personal struggle with this mental disability. Through this series, I wanted to create a sense of community, depression can become isolating for many people therefore creating a safe space for individuals to speak creates an open conversation about this important issue. I have incorporated these portraits using augmented reality because that is how mental illness can be seen: not seen but always present.

In collaboration with Penumbra Foundation.

Note: Some of the language contained in this exhibition is not suitable for children