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.

The Labyrinth of Shadows is an ongoing participatory documentary project examining the mental health crisis affecting young people in Mexico, a largely stigmatized and under-recognized issue. Developed through sustained collaboration with teenagers and young adults, the work positions photography as both testimony and a shared space for emotional expression.

“Filling that void, that’s what I was looking for at all costs. And to feel integrated, loved.”
Luis, 20, Renacer por Vivir detoxification center, Querétaro, Mexico, March 3, 2025.

While youth mental health is a growing global concern, Mexico has experienced one of the sharpest increases in suicide rates in Latin America over the past five years, revealing what has been described as a silent crisis. Despite mounting pressures linked to economic insecurity, violence, and social instability, mental health remains deeply stigmatized and access to psychological support is often limited, leaving many young people facing depression, addiction, and emotional distress without consistent care.

I began this long-term work in February 2025 in Querétaro, where I met sixteen young participants, most of them minors, experiencing depressive disorders or substance dependency. I collaborated closely with psychologists, families, and two rehabilitation centers, including a detox facility where teenagers remain isolated for months while attempting to overcome addictions to alcohol, crystal meth, and other substances. The project will continue through future visits, allowing me to deepen relationships established during this first phase and expand the series.

All photographs are authored and produced by me. Within a second stage of the process, participants were invited to intervene on selected prints through writing, drawing, or painting. By adding their own words, colors, and symbols, they contribute personal perspectives while the photographic act itself remains documentary in nature. This participatory approach echoes the principles of the Photovoice methodology developed by Caroline C. Wang and emphasizes collaboration without relinquishing authorship.

Through The Labyrinth of Shadows, I aim to make visible experiences that often remain hidden while questioning how documentary photography can function as both a witnessing practice and a space for dialogue. The project seeks to challenge stigma surrounding youth mental health and foster empathy while maintaining an ethical, long-term engagement with the individuals portrayed.