THE LABYRINTH OF SHADOWS

This project explores youth mental health in Mexico. Blending documentary and creative practice, I followed 16 young people, giving them agency through writing and painting, raising awareness of hidden struggles and stigma.

"Filling that void, that's what I was looking for at all costs. And to feel integrated, loved."

Luis, 20, ‘Renacer par Vivir’ detoxification center, Queretaro, Mexico, March 3, 2025

The mental health of young people is a growing global concern. In Mexico, however, it remains a taboo, stigmatized issue, despite mounting pressure on youth from economic insecurity, extreme violence, obesity, and the influence of social media. The numbers speak for themselves: 78% of Mexican teenagers are at risk of developing depression, and 6.5% have attempted suicide. Yet mental health support structures are severely lacking.

This project dives into that reality by following young Mexicans directly affected by these challenges. In February and March 2025, I began this work in Querétaro, meeting sixteen young people, mostly minors, suffering from depressive disorders. I collaborated with psychologists, families and two rehabilitation centers, including a detox center where teenagers are isolated for months to fight their addictions to alcohol, crystal meth, and other substances. Their struggles are rooted in violence, rejection, and fragile family structures.

This series is both documentary and experimental. Alongside intimate portraits and scenes of daily life, I invited participants to intervene on the photographs through writing or painting. By altering the images, adding words, colors or shapes, they reclaimed their narrative, using it as a tool for personal and emotional expression, a participatory approach aligns with the Photovoice methodology developed by Caroline C. Wang.

With The Labyrinth of shadows I seek to weave an intimate dialogue, raise awareness and highlight the invisible challenges of this generation. My aim is to go beyond simple visual representation in order to create an emotional dialogue that goes beyond the traditional documentary framework.