PHOTOVOICE is an engagement and empowerment strategy that uses photography as a tool for social change. It gives any group the opportunity to record, reflect on, and critique personal and community issues in a creative way.

The aim of this project is to motivate participants to be actively involved in decisions that affect their own lives, while decreasing stigma and broadening understanding of their personal struggles. The resulting exhibit, REFOCUSING THE LENS, features the work of five participants who have documented their personal experiences with mental health, eager to represent them to the outside world.

Unseal me, By Lau

Artist’s Statement

Every pixel forms a dream, a dream that seems to be really far away. You can’t just use your body to get there. You need to free your mind from its cage. My mind is not a prison. Even when it sometimes feels that way, it’s just a matter of turning the light on so I can find my way out. Sometimes I am like a frog in the well; I feel unable to connect with the outside world. Do I need a password to make the connection? Do I even need one or does it already live within me? Everything outside seems to be a wonder. Give me scissors and let me cut my way out. I deserve to be out, to be where I want, to continue on living. Free me. Free my mind. Unseal me!

Select a thumbnail to see a photo and its story.