Mental Illness.
Due to many requests I have decided to upload the images I shot based on my experience with schizophrenia.
I’m not in any way shy about this illness but am concerned about people being judgmental.
An Important note is that none of these images started out as being based on this subject.
The images with the guy in the clown painted face actually began as a series based on a character called Pedralino, for those of you interested in performance he is a character from early Italian street theatre “Commedia Dell’arte”.
The series on the dolls were originally shot to portray a phobia I have of dolls. Yes, strange I know but they freak me out and I wanted to express this through this series. These are the most graphic of this work which is why they have the filter on them.
The other images I use to portray the “demons” are just random images shot during other shoots tho pedralino did become one of them.
What’s funny about all this work and its meaning is that again none of it was shot for the purpose of portraying what it now does. They were all shot for different ideas and at different times. However as I was putting work together for my final folio at uni the work took on a whole new meaning, as I found the images started to sit together to tell this story.
I do believe that the mind is a crazy thing and sometimes our subconscious may tell our conscious mind to do things that it doesn’t make clear to us until later.
Because of very bad media mental illness has a bit of a stigma and has left many people ignorant about the many different types of mental illness and what they are.
This photo series doesn’t show everything but it is still a work in progress and I will hopefully be able to finish it off this year.
You don’t have to like them but please try to understand them.
Thanks for checking them out.
Krisso.
P.S. Schizophrenia is not Dissociative Personality Disorder. I didn’t have multiple personality’s. (nearly everyone asks me that). :-)
Comments
I commend you on your courage….its not easy to admit to having a mental illness even on the internet,,,, I will certainly check out your work, and I do hope that (knowing your images will be awesome) bring some understanding at least in our little redbubble community,,,,,well done Krisso… wendy
Good for you and I’m glad you’re uploading them. I think our brain needs to express itself and like you say you can now see what was happening within you through your work and maybe didn’t realise at the time that it was giving you a release.
Even now perhaps you get a release seeing those images as you can see how differently a person (you) can feel from day to day, even hour to hour.
We can’t expect people who haven’t suffered from a mental illness to understand, it wouldn’t be fair of us. One person suffering can not even understand how another is feeling, we can only touch on various emotions which can be common.
:o) Jo
Just saw your Pedralino series.. Love the expressions portrayed.. I agree with out on the part of about Because of very bad media mental illness has a bit of a stigma and has left many people ignorant about the many different types of mental illness and what they are. It’s the same over here in sg. They did try to raise awareness but people are still ignorant.
I was diagnosed with depression and had to take prozac, and my frens all think i’m a nut-case and drug addict. O_O" it’s been 3yrs since i was last diagnosed, and i still hav to that the annoying pill.. n_n" Oh well, life goes on. Hope you’d recover soon. It must be hard on you.. Take care and all the best. if it’s any comfort, you’re not alone.. ;)
love your new series :) u did a great job with them all u have a great talent. my mom has schizophrenia so i pretty much kno what its like.
Krisso, thanks for expressing your illness over the bubble with me. YOu know if we all stand up and say, “hey this is what it looks like” and yes, we look just like you and we are creative and enthusticf and inpiring people…then the world would be a better place. I think its great you have uploaded your images and I can see what you are saying. The messages are there for me in your art. How wonderful you have a place to express them. So happy for you today my friend.
Krisso, I also have issues with dolls. it stemmed way way from childhood. my 2 girls i never have liked them being given dolls and any chance i could i had to get rid of them. I commend yhou on being able to mention this on here. and your still in my neighbourhood. :)
honesty…what a concept…and heres me thinking you were seeking attention.
well you can disregard my previous 2 comments.
Do you know how many people are afraid of clowns? A LOT!! So dolls are not strange at all. :)
Thats true lilgem, I don’t think it’s strange either….stoopid dolls!
– Krisso
fear is good to have.. we need fear to let us know we are human.. dolls are yous.. aliens are mine. i commend you for sharing this personal matter, very brave, and nothing to be ashamed of. we all have our quirks :) you should watch my dreams, freaky stuff going on there lol
Thanks for sharing… very interesting read especially after viewing your work.