Since the beginning of 2017, S.M.A.K. has been organising regular photography workshops for people with a psychiatric vulnerability in collaboration with the Dr Guislain Hospital and photographers Anja Hellebaut and Lisa van Damme from mentormentor. The idea behind the project is simple: the participants visit an exhibition in the museum and are all given a camera. They are able to use it over a period of four weeks to create a series of photographs.
After the visit to the museum, the participants were invited to carefully observe and record everyday coincidences. They received weekly support from mentormentor in the form of constructive criticism and help with content. The results are very direct and at the same time intensely personal, whereby the camera sometimes acts as a shield, and at other times as a window on the world.
Each workshop is open to eight participants. Since the scheme launched, workshops have run in conjunction with the following exhibitions: The Photographic I, The Wall, Raoul De Keyser and The Photographic II. This exhibition is composed of images that have been taken during these sessions. The photographs on display are by: Craig, Detlef, Guy, Hannah, Janina, Jean-Pierre, Marc, Max, Erwin, Frank, Serge, Stefaan, Laura, Nathalie and Max.
Supported by Sony.
