Pictures of You

Image from Belconnen Arts Centre

I nominated to share my story in this exhibition in a hope to raise awareness of invisible disabilities. Having an invisible condition failed me in getting the help I needed on all levels.

Sadly, whilst trying to manage my chronic pain, I also had to deal with the extra layers of discrimination, judgement and scepticism on a daily basis simply because I looked “normal”. This propelled me to share my story and lived experience in a hope others will not have to go through what I had to.

There is still a long way to go in raising awareness around invisible disabilities and illnesses and there needs to be a lot of legislative changes to ensure vulnerable people are supported, but it all starts with getting the conversation started and I hope I have done that.

Sitter’s statement:

Do you see what I see? A person in pain? A person who struggled to get dressed and do their hair that day? A person calculating what they will have to give up in their week to recover from this? My battle is not only with my body, it’s the part of me you can’t see.

In 2015, I was involved in a car accident. As a result of my injuries, I was left with the invisible disability called chronic pain and became homeless, needing to couch surf to get by. You could think for a moment that I’m lying but the truth is, being questioned whether I am is just another way having an invisible disability hurts me. I don’t share my disability as an excuse or to get out of things, I share it to explain the barriers I am facing, hoping to be understood, supported and accepted as I am.

Photographer’s statement:

Melissa and I created this portrait after a long discussion about invisible disability and homelessness. Melissa has lived with chronic and debilitating pain since an accident. Her outward appearance to all intents and purpose looks ‘normal’, though that word should never be used! Because of her disability she has experienced homelessness, hence using the couch.

Her pose reflects the two forms of human nature that intrigues me - being irony and contradiction. Here she sits in the road, all dressed to the nines with the sun on her face looking resilient and calm. The mirror reflects a different point of view. One cannot assume that just because a person does not have an obvious health problem that they are well and able. It is fluid. I wanted to show Melissa’s beauty and resilience against adversity. The backdrop is a home that has been vacant for a couple of decades, hence the irony.

Public art display at Belconnen Westfield, Canberra

Further information on the exhibition and the other sitters:

Media: