ENTRY DESCRIPTION
"Helplessness" takes us on a profound journey through the labyrinth of emotions triggered by depression. The photo captures a female figure carrying heavy, lifeless limbs instead of her own. It is a personal projection of the emotional state at a given moment, captured through the lens and frozen on the model.

This picture, which is part of a larger series, marks the beginning of a complex dance, emanating a paradoxical beauty from the effort against the inertia of despair. The mannequin hands, unyielding and stoic, become a poignant metaphor for the overwhelming grip of helplessness.

Through this visual narrative, I aim to externalize the internal, to translate the inexpressible into the language of imagery. The process of creating these images becomes a therapeutic act for me, a means of grappling with the elusive and giving form to the formless. This photograph, like others in this series, is an image of my personal struggle, an attempt to express the complexity of living with depression.

"Helplessness" is also an invitation to bear witness to silent struggles that often go unnoticed. It is a bridge between the personal and the universal, a visual dialogue that transcends the limits of words. By sharing this vision, I hope to evoke empathy and understanding for the silent battles fought in solitude by so many.

AUTHOR
Kamila J Gruss was born in Słupsk, where she creates and resides, Poland. She is a graduate of the University of Szczecin, earning a master's degree in German Studies, specializing in this field from 2001-2007. Subsequently, from 2003-2012, she continued her education at Freie Universität in Berlin, obtaining master's degrees in New German Literature, Spanish Literature, and General and Comparative Literature Studies.

Although self-taught in the field of photography, she has achieved impressive success as a laureate of numerous international photography competitions. Her works have been featured in prestigious exhibitions such as the Group Exhibition Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House in London, both in 2018 and 2021.

In her photographic work, she addresses important issues, focusing on a woman's right to self-determination, decision-making about her own body, and making choices related to it. Her works narrate emotions, depression, loneliness as a place of existence, as well as anger, fear, and love anchored in the surrounding reality. Her creativity employs the language of dreams and the body, transforming the body from the subject of art into its object. This fluid intertwining of thoughts, dreams, and reality creates an incredibly intimate picture of the world, which the author conveys through her photographic sensitivity.

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