Welcome to this edition of [book spotlight]. Today, we uncover the layers of 'Safe House,' by Lea Thijs (published by Setanta Books). We'd love to read your comments below about these insights and ideas behind the artist's work.

"Safe House" is a deeply personal exploration by South African-Belgian documentary photographer Lea Thijs, released in its first edition in 2019. It delves into the heart of familial relationships affected by mental health, specifically bipolar disorder. Through Lea's lens, readers are invited to dismantle the walls surrounding her family's past and present, providing a rare insight into the life of her father post-diagnosis. Shot primarily using a large format analogue camera, the book reflects Lea's meticulous attention to detail and her commitment to portraying the nuances of mental health and ethical representation. "Safe House" serves as an open door to understanding and empathy, allowing readers to explore the intersections of memory, identity, and healing within the context of a family navigating the complexities of bipolar disorder.

Dive into the heart of "Safe House," a compelling narrative by Lea Thijs, as she traverses the realms of family dynamics and mental health through her evocative photography. This journey began as a personal quest during a visit home, transforming into an exploration of her father's recent bipolar disorder diagnosis. "I wanted to use photography as a tool to look deeper into this relationship," Lea reveals, highlighting the project's deeply rooted intentions​​.

Lea's ethical approach to depicting her father's condition transcends conventional storytelling, offering a reflective and poignant view through her lens. "My book is about me, my relationship with him, and his diagnosis," she articulates, setting the stage for a narrative rich in emotion and honesty​​.

"Safe House" is not just a title but a symbol of refuge and understanding. Lea invites us into the intimate spaces of her family life, guiding us through the complex landscape of love, memory, and resilience​​.

Project Genesis: What motivated you to start the "Safe House" project, and why was it important for you to document your father and his environment after his bipolar disorder diagnosis? What overarching message or insight do you hope to impart with "Safe House"?

Safe House was my final year bachelor project at Middlesex University in London. At first, I was having a hard time coming up with ideas. I felt completely disconnected from London where I was living. I grew up in Johannesburg. During my winter holidays, I took the large format home, to South Africa, to play around with it. I took photographs of my family including of my father alone without a specific goal in mind. When I came back to London and developed my photographs, I saw a theme appearing. I saw a reflection of my relationship with my father, but I could also see that some questions had been left unanswered. He had been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I felt that this mental health disorder had played a big role in our relationship, my memories and my childhood. I wanted to use photography, which is my way of understanding myself and others around me, as a tool to look deeper into this relationship. I did not come across many other projects about children narrating their relationships with a parent, and even less so, one with a mental health situation. I believed that creating Safe House would give me a bit of relief, but also anyone going through what I went through.

Photographing Mental Health: Your work revolves around themes of mental health and the representation of others. How did you approach the ethical challenges of photographing your own father, especially given the personal nature of his condition?

I like this question because I believe that the representation of others is something we need to question a lot. My book is not about a person living with bipolar disorder because only he could represent what that means for him. My book is about me, my relationship with him and his diagnosis. You get the story through my eyes, it is a reflection of my vision of the story. At the end of the book, there is a text written by my father about his experience of depression and suicidal thoughts. After seeing the pictures and reading the text, you will feel the differences in our experiences. My images are more grayscale which is how I experienced living with my father and his disorder while his text is much more sinister and hard to swallow.

Title Significance: The title "Safe House" suggests a place of refuge and security. Can you explain how this concept is reflected in your photographs and what the title means in the context of your family's story?

The title Safe House comes from a chapter in the book “The Examined Life” written by Stephen Grosz. I had given that book to my father in December as a Christmas present and he related to the chapter ‘Safe House’. He explained to me how his house made him feel safe from the dangers of the outside world. He planted big bamboo all around his house to create a safe cocoon where he couldn’t even see his neighbours. In my photographs, and even more so in the book, I give viewers an experience similar to that of a visit to a home. You start from the garden, enter the house, visit different rooms and leave back through the garden and back to the outside world. It is my intimate safe space, I invite people, through my book, into my family home to get a glimpse of what is happening, to hear our deep conversations and see who we are.

Large Format Photography: You primarily shoot on large format analogue cameras. Why did you choose this medium for the "Safe House" project, and how does it contribute to how viewers engage with the images?

I think most of the viewers don’t know that I have shot on a large format camera and I think it doesn’t matter what tool you use to convey your message. It mattered to me because of how I use, think and photograph with a large format. It fitted the pace of the Safe House project, compared to other formats. I chose the large format for Safe House because it takes 5 minutes to set up the camera. I did not want to allow myself to take ‘documentary’ 35 mm ‘stolen shots’ It was very important to me that my father knew what I was photographing and that he participated in the process of making the images. One of the images is taken by him using a cable release.

Memory and Place: The project revisits memories associated with your father's childhood in Brussels and his home in South Africa. How do you use photography to bridge these different periods and places in his life?

The photographs are quite literal. For example, you can see him in his childhood classroom or the broken plates that he threw on the floor in a moment of rage when I was a young child. I think the text helps to bring sense to where the images go in the timeline but I didn’t want to bridge different periods. The photographs were shot in the present looking back at the past to understand our current and future relationship better.

Viewer's Experience: What do you hope viewers will take away from "Safe House"? Is there a particular message or feeling you wish to convey about bipolar disorder, family, or memory?

I hope viewers will feel something or relate to an image(s)even if it has nothing to do with what I wanted the pictures to show or the memory I associate with them. I tried with my images to convey the ups and downs of bipolar disorder, as well as the humour, kindness, love and empathy, all traits that my father has. I wanted this book to show my good, healthy and hopeful relationship with my father.

Future Directions: Having published "Safe House," which explores deeply personal themes, are there new subjects or themes you are interested in tackling in your future work? How do you see your approach evolving in these upcoming projects?

I had to put photography on hold when it comes to long-term projects because I am working on building a business to have a more stable income. I found that in my relationship with photography, I didn’t enjoy doing commissions and rather liked putting my energy into personal projects. I do have a few ideas. The first would look into people's decisions to have or not to have children. It is something that I have been thinking about, and I know that photography will help me process these thoughts. The second idea is about the gentrification and housing crisis in Lisbon. I have witnessed this phenomenon back home in South Africa, in neighbourhoods in London, and now in Lisbon, but at a much bigger scale. I am interested in unpacking my role in the housing crisis. I live in Lisbon, a Belgium immigrant who can afford the cost of living when a lot of Portuguese are barely making ends meet.

To discover more about this intriguing body of work and how you can acquire your own copy, you can find and purchase the book here.

Lea Laetitia Thijs (Website, Instagram)is a renowned South African-Belgian documentary photographer, currently based in Lisbon. Her compelling body of work predominantly revolves around significant themes such as mental health and the intricate ethical challenges involved in representing others. Lea's approach to photography is deeply personal and introspective, primarily utilizing a large format analogue camera to capture the profound and nuanced narratives she seeks to tell.

After completing a rigorous three-year course in black and white analogue photography, Lea further honed her craft through various photography courses and workshops across South Africa, Belgium, and Paris. Her dedication to the art and technique of photography culminated in obtaining a BA in Photography from Middlesex University, London.

In 2019, Lea published her first book, "Safe House," an intimate exploration into her father's life with bipolar disorder, marking a significant milestone in her career. The work reflects not only her skill as a photographer but also her ability to navigate complex personal and social landscapes with sensitivity and insight. Beyond her personal projects, Lea is actively involved in the photography community, often undertaking commissions for prominent publications, including the ‘Financial Times’. Her work continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, as she explores profound themes through the unique lens of her cultural and personal experiences.

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