By Szász Lilla
COUNTRY: Hungary
DISEASE: Crohn’s Disease
FORMAT: Color Negative
ARTIST’S SUMMARY
The patient stands on a hill, half-naked, throwing his head back and opening his arms wide. His half-naked torso reveals the bag which has been fixed to his abdominal wall and which is the only visible sign of his disease. However his position and movement, as he is standing emancipated in the sunlight, suggest not shame but a sense of freedom. The natural landscape and the seemingly endless horizon in the background further deepen the feeling of self-acceptance and honest revelation of the self.
PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE
“A physician diagnosed my disease when I was 18 years old. He told me that I had an incurable but not fatal disease which could be managed. At the time I thought the doctor alone would only be in charge of my cure. I used my disease as a shield, behind which I could hide and which was a good excuse to feel pity for myself. But a recent turning point in my relationship made me realize that I should accept myself with my imperfection and inner insecurity in order to live a complete life.”
About Perspectives
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