Chosen [not] to be

This series is part of the Radical Beauty project, an international photography project which aims to give people with Down’s syndrome their rightful place in the visual arts, in addition to their rightful place in society. This project is dear to me because of the wonderful young women I met. The first shoot was with the lovely Juliette. We met in my studio in Amsterdam for a whole afternoon. And she stole my heart. Her sunny disposition, her dedication, patience and perseverance, but above all her ability to give love in its purest form. I went home floating on clouds. Feeling ever so grateful for the experience, I realized that this experience had been lacking in my life. I had never met a person with Down’s before and I realized I had no knowledge except for peripheral information that had surrounded me in the course of my life. And I discovered that that had been hugely insufficient and misleading. I also realized that if that was true for me, it was probably true for many people. That moment I decided to expand my own contribution to the project and turn it into a series. The young women I worked with, shared a deep dedication and a strong will to succeed. To prove themselves. It must be exhausting and beyond frustrating to be underestimated all the time. To be judged solely by the slant of your eyes. Their wish to make people see beyond their preconceived notions is very palpable and that, in part, explains their intense dedication in contributing to the project. In the Netherlands, the community of parents of children with Down’s Syndrome has collected their experiences in a book, called Zwartboek (Blackbook). They have offered this book to the government as a catalyst for change. Reading the collection of stories in this book broke my heart. There is so much misinformation. This misinformation leads to misconceptions and widely held preconceived notions which profoundly impact the lives of people with Down’s. The mothers I met, spoke lovingly about the precious addition to their families, expressing that most of the challenges lie not with having a child with Down’s, but with responses from society. From schools that refuse to enroll their children, comments from strangers, family members, doctors etc. The constant obstacles that hinder their child to fulfill their full potential. I have witnessed that potential. With this series I reflect on their reality - the barriers they face, society’s refusal to see their capabilities, the invisibility of their true selves - and have aimed to translate their experiences visually. _________________ With much love and many thanks to Juliette, Margot, Emma, Eveline and Tessel. It was truly an honour and a delight to work with you. XM