The artist who involved in this project is Rita Wang. She graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy with, BFA in Choreography. She is now studying for an MS in Creative Arts Therapy at Pratt Institute
This series of photographs tells her story in 2013 when she suffered from bipolar disorder with three stages across three ages.
In terms of photography skills, in the 1st chapter of the story, I used a 24-70mm lens with a 2:3 frame. In the 2nd chapter, I used the same lens with a 3:4 frame. In the 3rd chapter, I used a 16-35mm lens with a 9:21 frame. I changed the use of the lens and the cropped of the frame because I wanted to create a sense of normality, repression, and release that echoed the corresponding stages. Moreover, I used a black and white photo for the first two stages and colored photos of the third stage.
Chapter I – 16, 2013
My name is Rita, and I’m 16 years old. I just when to college and my classmates are older than I am. I could never fit in them. Maybe because I am younger, the teachers always take more care of me. Maybe because of the mania of adolescence, I often do a lot of dramatic things. Therefore, my classmates begin to isolate me. Because of things happening around me, I could not breathe, and my emotional state is getting worse following the time.
Chapter II – 17, 2014
My name is Rita, and I’m 17 years old. I eventually suffered from bipolar disorder. I am sometimes depressed, and sometimes manic. The shift between these two emotions makes me exhausted. I wanted to get rid of them, but I couldn’t control myself, my mind. The feeling of not being able to breathe became so intense that I even had thoughts of suicidal. I am in love with a boy, but unfortunately, he does not know I love him. I had illusions. I could hear his voice calling me, and feel his hugging. It made me feel warm, although nothing happened, and it was all my imagination. I am not so lonely as I was a year ago. The aggravation of the illness made me realize my ignorance in the past. My family comes to Shanghai, the city where I am, from Yunnan, my hometown. I could feel the warmth again. The bad thoughts moved away from me gradually. Everything is getting better.
Chapter III – 23, 2020
My name is Rita, and I’m 23 years old. It’s been three years since I said goodbye to bipolar disorder. I begin to think from the perspective of others, and try to understand others because everyone has at one time struggled with their fate. Experiences made me think about life in a new way. I no longer demand too much from meaningless things. I prefer spiritual input. After three years of study, I was admitted to Pratt Institute. I chose art therapy as my major because helping more people who have been through the same kind of pain as I was is meaningful. Thanks for those tormenting days.
END