Frida Forever

Frida Forever is based on my book. Through self-portraits and hospital images, I explore life with disability and illness, revealing the unseen challenges and contrasting it with youth and freedom beyond hospital walls.

When I photograph myself, it’s not only because I am often alone, but because my sick body, with its scars, metal implants, and fragility, is the landscape I know best.

My project Frida Forever is based on my forthcoming book, set to be published by Disko Bay in January 2025. Both the book and the project shed light on life with disability and chronic illness, and the many challenges that come with it. I have spent more than half of my adult life in hospitals. Through photographic self-portraits and images from my hospital stays, I document the experience of illness, contrasting it with the young, free life outside the hospital walls. The project uncovers the hidden aspects of living with illness and disability, which often go unseen, and challenges what it means to be young while chronically ill.

Through a raw and honest artistic approach, I push the boundaries of what photography can be and how it can be used to illuminate deeply personal and complex stories. This project demonstrates how photography can transcend traditional limits, becoming a powerful tool to foster understanding and dialogue about life with illness and disability.

My Focus on Gazes and spaces

The self-portrait serves as a profound manifestation of my identity, shaped by my experiences with chronic illness and disability. Through these images, I convey not only my physical appearance but also the “sick gaze”—a unique perspective that captures the emotional and psychological dimensions of living with a chronic condition. Each self-portrait embodies the vulnerability, resilience, and strength inherent in my daily life, offering a raw and honest view of my existence. By presenting myself through this lens, I aim to create a deeper connection with viewers, inviting them to engage with the complex realities of my life. These portraits stand as both a personal testament and a universal exploration of the human condition, challenging conventional notions of health and disability, and fostering empathy and understanding.

The hospital room is a unique space. It is isolated from the outside world yet remains a public place. People come and go. The night nurse checks with a flashlight to see if you’re alive. Porters come to take you to surgery. The doctor arrives with updates. The nurse tends to you. Visitors come and go. You are there alone. The room has its own time zone and lifespan. It is in these rooms that the sick live, where illness lives, and where the goal may be to leave or, for some, to remain for as long as life allows. These are the rooms where illness is discovered, diagnosed, and treated, and where, for some, life is lived.

And through my photography, I hope to offer an intimate glimpse into these rooms, inviting others to step inside and experience the realities of life lived within them.