LOCAL PHOTOJOURNALIST Olivier None is organizing a two-day photography exhibition at Theatre de Verdille in Huye district from July, 16 to July 17.
Dubbed ‘Nteba Photography Exhibition’, it will feature 50 mental illness warning sign-related photos.
The photojournalist told The New Times that the exhibition was set to depict a picture of mental health disorders and mental illness-related issues and how it affects a human being.
"In this exhibition, I want to draw out mental illness and related issues including street life, poverty, anxiety, feminism effects through the lens of women, Genocide 1994 effects, what triggers someone's mind and thoughts that make them contemplate committing suicide and other society-related issues,'' he said.
According to None, the exhibition was inspired by a documentary where "together with my three friends Enock Zera un upcoming photographer, Peter Bazatoha a creative director, and Aime Octave a filmmaker, we conducted a survey and we acknowledged that many of individuals had early rape cases, that led them to sex addiction. Others become drug addicts, others commit suicide which are all effects of mental illness and such related issues but no one recognizes it. That’s how the idea of photo exhibition came about.’’
"I try to connect people with life so that people get to know that harassment or any other mental illness related issues are real and it’s not okay to live with it, rather it needs to be settled just like we go to the hospital to see a doctor when we have flu,’’ he added.
Photography, for him, is a way of freezing the moment, and since people consider mental illness as a myth, it is high time society is educated about it because is real and it exists,’’ He added.
None said that he uses photography as a way of reflecting a message to the society but particularly to contribute to community issues through this photo exhibition.
"As a photographer, I believe I can use my knowledge to help those in need even though I might not help them with donations or others but they get healed by the photos they see,” he said.
Whoever, the photojournalist also noted that through the Nteba documentary he has figured out that many deal with anxiety and they don’t know specifically where it comes from and others don’t recognize that they have a problem.
"Anxiety is a state of mind because people get anxious about certain things, but feminism is the act of giving value to what women have such as addressing body-shaming which is among the causes of anxiety in women, particularly. My concern is to emphasize that feminism is key and is one of the mental related illnesses,'' He says.
When asked about the expectations of his photo exhibition and what he sees as the impact it will give to society None shared his view.
"I believe the exhibition will give insights on what the sources of mental related issues are and also a call for parents to talk and have conversations with their children. Many youths are suffering from mental illness yet their parents think it’s a myth or it doesn’t exist, there is a gap and I want to end it,’’ he shared.
None has participated in seven other exhibitions including ‘The seed photo exhibition’ in 2019, Quarter century with residue which was sponsored by Envision Rwanda, held virtually on Impact Hub Kigali’s Instagram account, and ‘Kugasima’ in 2019.
The photo exhibition will also feature the Vista Inganzo group that contributed to making the documentary. It will open from 3 PM to 6 PM on July, 16 and open all day to 6 PM on July, 17 where all Covid_19 guidelines will be observed.