Tour with the artists at the exhibition "Embrace the difference" [ENG]

On 14 September, Fotografiska will open a new special exhibition "Embrace the difference", which aims to raise awareness of people with special mental needs. On the opening night, everyone will have the opportunity to take part in a tour with three of the artists participating in the exhibition.

/About the exhibition

In recent years, we have all had the opportunity to experience life in isolation, in isolation, and to feel how this can affect our mental and emotional health, the balance of which is not necessarily our own decision. Although today's Estonian society is much more tolerant than in the past, we still see little awareness, cool feelings or reluctance towards people with special needs. Anything different from the norm makes people wary and distanced.

The "Embrace the difference" exhibition aims to raise awareness about people with special needs. It also wants to change attitudes and show how what at first sight seems to be an anomaly can in fact fit into the norm, if you just push your boundaries. People with special needs, with their strengths, weaknesses, rights and freedoms, are part of a normal society. Just like all of us. On closer examination, we realise that none of us is 'normal' - we all have some vulnerability that we have to take into account. Ordinary lives are ordinary, and ordinary can become extraordinary for everyone. We all want to live our ordinary yet special lives to the fullest possible extent - and this must be possible for others around us. A diverse society is a value.

"Fotografiska For Life" is Fotografiska's exhibition platform, which aims to use photography to raise socially relevant yet uncomfortable issues and to initiate discussion. The exhibition was funded by the European Social Fund and created in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Welfare Services.

/About the artists

The artists participating in the exhibition have been selected through an Open Call organised in autumn 2021. The artists portray people with special needs living in Estonia and their activities through different approaches - Silvia Sosaar (EST) has conducted video interviews, Anna Pazucha (EST) has captured the work of people with special needs, Julia SH (SWE) has focused on portrait photography.

*The tour is free of charge for Fotografiska members.