ENTRY DESCRIPTION
"It Knows No Face" presents an extensive series of large scale, intimate black and white portraits of suicide survivors - individuals that lost a loved one to suicide or are personally dealing with suicidal thoughts and or attempts. The exhibit includes corresponding raw, heartfelt stories from each person talking candidly about suicide and the impact it has on their lives. With the recent celebrity deaths of Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain and Margot Kidder, the topic of suicide is across headlines throughout the world. However, people still avoid the topic and any discussion, yet the rate of suicide continues to grow significantly each year with approximately 1 million deaths anticipated in 2018 - that is the loss of a loved one every 40 seconds. With this in mind, It Knows No Face was championed to become a strong, much needed 'voice' for the deliberately silenced or the preferably unheard - people that are directly dealing with suicide. This very important project and movement's mission is to become a powerful tool to create measurable, positive change regarding mental illness and suicide. It Knows No Face is truly unlike anything previously produced on the topic of suicide. As the title denotes, It Knows No Face will clearly relay the fact that suicide crosses all demographics - age, ethnicity, race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.

PORTRAIT OF JAMES: James has attempted suicide over five times. He says, "For people that think they’re depressed, find help. Talk your problems over with someone and don’t ignore it, because it is real. I suggest to everybody that’s got suicidal thoughts to find groups where you can talk-there are people that have the same problem you have. You don’t want to wait too long. Just look for somebody you can talk to.

AUTHOR
Randy Bacon is an American photographer with an extensive history in portrait, commercial and documentary photography, both motion and still. Randy is also co-founder and artist behind all of the photography and cinematography of the nonprofit, people empowering story movement, 7 Billion Ones.

Residing in Springfield, Missouri, Randy has been shooting professionally since 1984 and is in high demand as a portrait, editorial and commercial shooter, as well as, a noted highly sought after public speaker.

He has built a strong local/regional client base and travels extensively to destinations across the United States, as well as, internationally for client projects.

At the core of Bacon's work is the ability to present emotive visual stories with an underlying sense of narrative. His unique style reflects elements of influential film noir and old masters in painting and photography. However, after 30 years, this simple, yet complex, truth, "you were born an original", is still the creative seed that continues to grow his artistry for photography and film.

Bacons says, "I am finding after all these years of tending to this relationship between me and this thing called a camera, I am more passionate than ever about capturing the uniqueness and miracle of life. I am in awe of how each person has a valid, inspiring story that has to be told, and that through these stories this world can be a better place. Photography, to me, is sacred.”

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