ONCE I'M ALONE
This project was very personal and close to our hearts, exploring and uncovering the privacy of the five stages of grieving (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). We photographed and filmed five women/actresses going through the five stages. We didn't give the girls any guidance of how to show their emotions and let them express themselves freely. Everyone grieves differently, so some will repress their emotions more whilst others will be more openly expressive. There is not a right or single way to grieve, which is also the reason why we have chosen five different women. The final result all depended on their own experiences and personality.
We believe that with this project, anyone has been able to explore the emotions of personal loss they had in the past or be pushed to the limits of their imagination if they have not suffered a loss. Personal loss and expressing your feelings are still a taboo subjects. Coping with loss is a very deep, personal experience and some people feel uncomfortable with expressing themselves or comforting someone who has lost someone.
We wanted to communicate that it is natural to allow yourself to feel the waves of grief as they come, to release the pain or any feelings you might have and that people should not be afraid of it, because everyone has felt these emotions or will do so at some point in their life.