Last week co-founder Steve Wallington brought TPM to the Photography x Mental Health exhibition in Amsterdam, hosted by Made By People Lab which is part of A City Made by People network. Their aim is to raise awareness around the urban issues that people face everyday using different creative methods to help explore and improve their lives in the city.
This event promoted the use of photography to help break the taboo around mental health by asking 10 local photographers to share their perspectives on the subject.
The photographers took us into their own personal lives and those of others through their lens. The brief given sparked off many diverse reactions and shared stories but there was an underlying similarity that showed up around the pressure people feel to hide and keep quiet when it comes to mental health.
Steve also spoke about how The Photography Movement aims to encourage as many people as possible to use photography because it’s such a perfect way of us all connecting through our stories and noticing that we are not alone when it comes to mental health.
It was a great joy to be at the exhibition and to be part of it. To see more organisations embracing photography to raise awareness and stop the taboo around mental illness is strengthening communities and saving lives. The conversations are beginning and these photographs speak volumes! The exhibition also raised funds for MIND (NL) whilst it was on at SAI in Amsterdam and you can purchase one of the exhibiting prints via https://www.hacka-ams.com/product-category/made-by-people-lab/
**Make sure you click on the photograph to read the story behind the image**
The featured image is by photographer Kevin Rijnders
Title: Tayyeb – Psychosis.
In Tayyeb’s words: “Because of certain events in my childhood, I started to live a solitary life. The dark side of life got a grip on me and created a new character. A character that I have never been before. I was lost and had to find my way back to the real me. I worked hard and finally found my path again towards the light. At this moment I have the feeling that my life is in balance and I hope to leave the darkness behind me forever.”
