(safety) by Suzanne Goldish

The following diptychs are from a series called (safety). From the very beginning, I saw this project as a portrait project. The people in these photos take pills every day. They rely on these tiny, mysterious objects, hoping that they will relieve their suffering, make them healthier, help them sleep, or prevent disease. I took portraits of my subjects in and around their homes to try to express how personal this need is, how private the idea of illness and dependence on medication. But the pill is a main character in this relationship as well. The pill takes on incredible responsibility. The pill has a lot to live up to. So I created portraits of the pills as well. The resulting diptych pairs the two partners in this game. In a way, these two players are equals, two halves of a co-dependent relationship. But in another sense, the pill holds the power. Most people do not know how their medication functions, do not even know of what it consists. Yet they ingest it willingly, place their undying faith in the unknown world of medicine. And the pill has the upper hand. Sometimes it will help. Sometimes it will harm. Sometimes it will never let you go.





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