Chance Bucher 

The questions that have guided my sustained investigation are: how can I convey the real and raw reality of depression? What can I do to unravel the misconceptions around depression? As I continued to think about not only my experience but the experience of some of my friends and family, depression is quite impossible to explain to someone who has never encountered it. My goal was to bring light to the darkness of depression and spread awareness about what some people face everyday. To accomplish this, I need to show both sides the painful and hopelessness, as well as the joyful liveliness that might be the disguise. Images 1-5 were taken in my bathtub, in which I dyed the water black and used two of my friends to model. I used the dark water to contrast the typical symbolism of water which is purity and rebirth to now metaphorically express the unknown and lack of comfort. The far away looks of the models in image 1 represents the emptiness and lack of focus. The model’s exposed ribs and hunched pose in image 5 represent the extreme lack of self care. The deathly colored skin and bones may be hard to look at due to the feeling that she is exposed and vulnerable.