Through the second skin by Richard Westerhuis

A few years ago I suffered from a burn-out, this made my world become smaller and smaller.

Protecting myself from the many outside impulses. It became a lonely bubble, turning personally inwards. Making something as getting groceries or take the tram almost impossible.

In a burnout, emotions become blunt. Whereas the stress response is more likely to involve emotional over-reactivity. Connecting with other people became just as hard as connecting with myself. Overall i was disconnected with the world. But I am back now! And I learned a lot about the burden of heaviness.More and more people are suffering nowadays of a ‘burn out’. Our society is changing, living a stressful-life is now considered normal. What happens to our daily life routines when everybody suffers the same condition? Do we share the same ‘bubble’ we live in? Or does each have their own to deal with? Is this the fault of modern day of life? Or are we the ones to blame?

This project is a response to the intrusive, obsessive and almost embedded epidemic influence that is affecting the nature of society itself. I witnessed myself from close by, where we are disconnected from each other and our surrounding. We still live in the same world as we always did and run into the same places, situations and people, but with one difference: we are not connected to them anymore. Funny thing is we are not always aware of this. We can act mean, cold, unsympathetic and even inhuman, we run off and lead our modern virtual lives. How the way we dress ourselves is an image, a self-defense mechanism. We claim our identity with it, or at least how we want to be perceived. But what happens if we put down our sword and shield? Taking away the models clothes, by letting them pose nude. I take away their safety net. Creating a freedom, in which they are no longer enclosed the in the bubble they left their house in this morning. By literally wrapping the models in a new ‘bubble’, liberating them from society and daily life rituals. What happens then is a registrations of the model’s movement. Where i become the observer with a minimum of interference.Just like i have been an observer in my own lonely bubble. This is a tragic but also very human phenomenon. Mostly it is you who experiences this disconnection, but through this project, you can see it happening to others just like you. May it speak to you, may it reflect and guide you here and there through your daily life.

Through the second skin | Richard Westerhuis

About Richard Westerhuis

Richard Westerhuis (b. 1965) is a Dutch photographer whoís work emcompasses staged photography as well as intuitive in the moment. The ìdramatizing elements,î as the artist calls them, are what makes his images their narrative power: his subjects are performers, professionals and amateurs. Whose interior self can differ greatly from their projected selves. Working together with those who are not afraid to be themselves. Whenever this is expressive or modest and are willing to open up. Those who throw off their masks. He believes thereís a beauty in being vulnerable. In a world dominated by artificialness, representation and autogry. Is it still possible to be yourself? Are we still unique? With a background in psychology, Richard investigates through photography which roles of individualism and collectivism affects our social interactions and relationships. In ways by looking at our self and others.
Staging from his own observations and creativity moments of our daily lives. [Official Website]