The Distortion of Pain

The Distortion of Pain

This series aims to articulate the pain and disruption that takes over my senses when dealing with the intense pain of chronic migraines. Each photograph undergoes a deliberate albeit uncontrollable process of deconstruction through resists being placed on the image while submerged in traditional silver gelatin chemistry.

The experience of a migraine is all-consuming, a tunneling of emotions that narrows the world to a single point of suffering, where feelings of dread, despair, and disorientation collapse inward. The relentless throbbing pain pulses like a current through the skull, while dizziness unravels any sense of stability, making even the most familiar environments feel foreign and threatening. It is this fractured, destabilized state that drives the visual language of this work.

My process reflects the constant tension between order and disorder, much like the balance disrupted within the brain during a migraine episode. The distortion symbolizes the fractured moments of life affected by the invisible struggle, capturing the essence of pain that permeates both the physical and emotional realms, where throbbing pressure warps perception and dizziness transforms the ordinary into the surreal.

Beyond mere representation, my work aims to invite viewers into an understanding of the profound challenges faced by those who navigate life with chronic pain. By pushing the boundaries of traditional photography, I seek to amplify the silence that often shrouds this neurological disorder. Through the interplay of manipulated imagery, I invite viewers to witness the spirit of those who endure the unrelenting pain of migraines, acknowledging the strength required to navigate a world that often misunderstands the profound impact of an invisible struggle.