How and when was the project born?
After my project («The Walk of Loneliness» ) – which visualizes my battle with self-worth issues, but leaves the questions open if depression, worthlessness, self-harm can be concurred and if an emotionally destroyed person can be reconnected to society – I met the most amazing group of people.
The idea of «The Leap» was born thank to these wonderful people, who let me experience how quickly and powerfully my condition and perception on life changes, once I was not hiding anymore.
The Project
The Leap is about showing the change that happens to those of us, who are willing to change, have found the available help and by that came out of the destructive circle we were in for long time.
As the topic is sensitive, the idea is to use fine art photography to break through the barriers and get to those who are struggling with the condition we were in.
How can you help?
The Leap at the moment doesn’t have printing or publishing costs. The organizational, preparation and post-production costs are covered.
We ask for your support in renting location and equipment (such as costumes, lights and transportation) for the shooting, as well as your help to be able to afford a make-up artist / hair dresser, so the pictures can be as high quality as possible.
We are grateful for your help!
And to show our gratitude, after we closed the project successfully, I will personally contact you, so you get something that warms your heart every day. :)
Background
The phenomenon I call «emotional destruction» is a growing problem in the western society, and appears in different forms. Just a few examples are mobbing, body shaming and different types of eating disorders. In today’s media, the self-loathing – which comes as a result of the above mentioned – is mostly associated to adolescents in school and people bound tightly in using social media. Problems that (according to the media) affect mostly adults – such as high stress and grief related issues – are generally not talked about under the same roof as emotional destruction, as it is not seen as the stepping stone to burn-out or depression.
Even though the answer to the left open questions is a well known yes, most of the time emotionally destroyed people (and I was one of them) – who are not part of the normally recognized groups of sufferers – don’t come forward.
They seem highly functional to the majority, while inside they are battling with their own demons. Their aim is to keep their battle as private as possible, so they won’t be regarded as weak and pitied by society, feel ashamed by what they are going through or be put under more pressure. They degrade or don’t even recognize their own condition and think that it is normal. As a consequence they don’t regard themselves as someone in need of help and don’t even reach for it.
The major issue with «emotional destruction» mentioned is that the condition as well as the people battling with it, stay hidden, and by consequence the available help isn’t reaching the target audience.