Pia van Spaendonck & Jan Hoek
Above are two different projects that engage with the same target group: Pia van Spaendonck with Zorgen voor de ziel and Jan Hoek with Mental Superpowers.
Pia van Spaendonck – Zorgen voor de ziel – is a photographic project in which she portrays people within the context of mental health and care. The images take an observational approach and depict the everyday lives and vulnerability of the participants.
Jan Hoek – Mental Superpowers – is a collaborative project in which people with mental vulnerability are not only portrayed, but are also actively involved in the creative process. Together, they explore how they want to present themselves, with their own perspective and strength at the center.
Where Pia primarily adopts a more distant and observational approach, Hoek emphasizes collaboration and making the personal stories of the participants visible. In Zorgen voor de ziel, vulnerability is mainly shown from an external point of view, as it is perceived by others. From my own experience, I notice that this often leads to quick—and often negative—judgments. For that reason, I find it important to also look at what lies beneath the surface. In Mental Superpowers, there is space for this internal perspective. Alongside vulnerability, the personal experience and strength of the participants are also brought forward.
Although both projects start from the same theme, they show for me how strongly the role of the maker shapes how a subject is ultimately perceived: as a limitation, or as a layered reality in which strength and individuality are also visible.