Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Photographer Documents Husband’s Depression In Intimate Photo Series
User submission
6.4K
790.5K

Photographer Documents Husband’s Depression In Intimate Photo Series

ADVERTISEMENT

‘The Sea That Surrounds Us’ is a photo series by professional photographer Maureen Drennan that documents her husband’s battle with depression and her own battle to understand his mental problems.

The name of the art project is taken from a line from a love poem by Pablo Neruda called Night on the Island, a title that reflects the photographer’s decision to intersperse pictures of her husband Paul with pictures from Block Island, Rhode Island, which is where she spent time as a child. The barrenness and isolation of the island work as both a physical embodiment of the distance she felt from her husband who has been living with depression as well as a tangible manifestation of her husband’s own interior state during his mental health deterioration. They’ve since put those difficult times of fighting depression time behind them, but her beautiful photo series serves as a reminder of how fragile we are as humans, and how difficult it is to truly understand the experiences of another person, no matter how close they may seem to us.

More info: Maureen Drennan (h/t)

RELATED:
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    790Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    LMA

    LMA

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    Read less »
    LMA

    LMA

    Author, Community member

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Arty
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh dear husband...you don't feel well? Let me take picture of you (by the way, half have nothing to do with him) and make it an "art" project...

    Amelia Ch
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Imagine this: Youre healthy, got a job, wife. Everything looks normal and perfect. But inside youre broken, you can't feel anything, you feel like there is something wrong with you but can't find out what. People start judging you that youre lazy, sad, selfish. Depression is a disease. Don't judge people by their illnes. His wife is photographer. So she used her best tools to deal with her reality. Probably she needed to do this more than he. You might like it or not but don't judge.

    Load More Replies...
    Pocho Basura
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    youre depressed? Kool, let me get it on the net.................

    Teresa Lewis
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all depressed people look the same way. There is such a thing as smiling depression or putting a brave face on it. And somebody with facial expressions like in those photos might not be depressed but just having a bad day or concealing anger.

    Load More Replies...
    Natalie Cox
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't give the wife such a hard time! She has everyone here discussing this illness. I'm sure hubby is on board. Sometimes all you can do is watch someone spiral.

    Load More Comments
    Arty
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh dear husband...you don't feel well? Let me take picture of you (by the way, half have nothing to do with him) and make it an "art" project...

    Amelia Ch
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Imagine this: Youre healthy, got a job, wife. Everything looks normal and perfect. But inside youre broken, you can't feel anything, you feel like there is something wrong with you but can't find out what. People start judging you that youre lazy, sad, selfish. Depression is a disease. Don't judge people by their illnes. His wife is photographer. So she used her best tools to deal with her reality. Probably she needed to do this more than he. You might like it or not but don't judge.

    Load More Replies...
    Pocho Basura
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    youre depressed? Kool, let me get it on the net.................

    Teresa Lewis
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not all depressed people look the same way. There is such a thing as smiling depression or putting a brave face on it. And somebody with facial expressions like in those photos might not be depressed but just having a bad day or concealing anger.

    Load More Replies...
    Natalie Cox
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't give the wife such a hard time! She has everyone here discussing this illness. I'm sure hubby is on board. Sometimes all you can do is watch someone spiral.

    Load More Comments
    You May Like
    Related on Bored Panda
    Related on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda