In August 2022, photographer Muriel Verbist received the final dose of chemotherapy she had to undergo after her breast cancer diagnosis six months earlier. The immediate threat of the cancer was gone, but so too were the clear guidelines and structure that chemotherapy had provided. Feeling a need for stability, Muriel decided to document her recovery process.
Every two weeks she created a self-portrait in her improvised home studio. In this ritual, Muriel found energy, courage, and hope. The systematic repetition of the specific acts of photographing brought regularity and comfort. The self-portraits reveal every detail, every pore, every wrinkle in the face. The images are personal and revealing, yet at the same time they conceal much. The soft lighting, neutral background, and expressionless face do not disclose what story lies behind the photographer’s gaze. Through the conceptual approach—each of the 32 photographs consistently composed using the same method—all the images appear similar, but as you leaf through the series, subtle changes become visible. In this way, the viewer becomes a witness to a slow transformation and a companion on the road to recovery.
Softcover 17 x 28 cm
64 pages
ISBN 9789460583773
In August 2022, photographer Muriel Verbist received the final dose of chemotherapy she had to undergo after her breast cancer diagnosis six months earlier. The immediate threat of the cancer was gone, but so too were the clear guidelines and structure that chemotherapy had provided. Feeling a need for stability, Muriel decided to document her recovery process.
Every two weeks she created a self-portrait in her improvised home studio. In this ritual, Muriel found energy, courage, and hope. The systematic repetition of the specific acts of photographing brought regularity and comfort. The self-portraits reveal every detail, every pore, every wrinkle in the face. The images are personal and revealing, yet at the same time they conceal much. The soft lighting, neutral background, and expressionless face do not disclose what story lies behind the photographer’s gaze. Through the conceptual approach—each of the 32 photographs consistently composed using the same method—all the images appear similar, but as you leaf through the series, subtle changes become visible. In this way, the viewer becomes a witness to a slow transformation and a companion on the road to recovery.
Softcover 17 x 28 cm
64 pages
ISBN 9789460583773