Faces in the Water

KABK Graduation Catalogue ‘23

Lina Selg

2022
Bachelor Photography

Keywords: Mental health, Documentary photography, Activism

Internship: Sina Niemeyer
linaselg.com, selg.lina@gmail.com, +31622354250, instagram.com/_linaselg

Faces in the Water is a record of sadness, disorder, and the neglect of systems. It is, in itself, a piece of pain, and a piece of empathy - furiously driven by the urge to speak: to a faulted system that sends away those who desperately need it, and to the inadequate flatness of society.

Following the stories of five young adults grappling with depression, disorders and suicidal thoughts, the project looks at the impact of mental illnesses on their lives - and at their struggle with the Dutch mental health care system. Through photographs, interviews and drawings, the five share intimate accounts of being in increasing conflict with themselves, and of being sent away, unheard, unhelped and misunderstood.

The project is self-published as a book (Faces in the Water no1 - drowning) and a newspaper (no2 - dear GGZ, I'm angry that I needed you). 

"I made a character out of my depression and his name is Bob. He feels really heavy and really slow and and I don't really know if I have the words for it but I know I can act it out and his his goal is to break me." Nomi, 2021
"I still struggle with asking for help. I don't want to bother anyone with mysadness." Sophie, 2022
"I refused to sleep in my own room when I came home. I slept in the guest room in our in our house. Depersonalization, or something. I didn't want to feel like myself." Martina, 2022.
"My parents were for looking for help but every door just got slammed. They just said no, there's nothing wrong with the kid and he's totally fine." Mitch, 2021
"It's not really like I feel like I want to die, it's just that I no longer want to feel this way. You're getting so desperate not to feel that way that you're thinking about escaping through death. I think that's really the toughest part. You're not really done with life just with feeling that way." Danique, 2022
"faces in the water, no2: dear GGZ, I'm angry that I needed you." Newspaper, 2022. Edition of 50.
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