Today is a pretty significant day for me. Today is the day, in 2011, that I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was admitted into the ICU with DKA. Today is also, coincidentally, the day that our short film CYANOTYPE is being screened at Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti (IFFY). My friends Jake and Nick at Unit Zero Media made it with (for?) me, and it documents the art installation that I did last November on the first day of diabetes awareness month. The show is called Care Before Profit: A Diabetic Perspective on Healthcare Under Capitalism and it came out of an ongoing photographic project that I began in 2019. It is also the reason this website came into existence.
(If you cant make it to IFFY for the screening tonight, the film is posted below. I would absolutely love it if you took the time to watch it – I think it turned out really fucking well!)
Another thing: along with showing all the artwork last November, I also released a zine. It is the seventh issue of KZOO FILM PHOTO and is the issue I lovingly refer to as the diabetic issue. It is autobiographical and deeply personal, and if you would like to purchase a copy, you can do so here.
The last thing: after some consideration, I’ve decided to begin a photography blog here. As strange and vulnerable as it feels to write it, I’m actually really excited at the idea of blogging! I’ve long been frustrated with not having a regular outlet for my artwork outside of social media, and to be honest, listening to the audio version of Wil Wheaton’s Still Just a Geek made me realize that expressing my authentic self in this creative way might actually be pretty meaningful, and even supportive during a particularly lengthy and difficult bout of depression (and anxiety, naturally).
I’m really glad that you’re reading this, and I look forward to sharing more about what I envision for this photo blog. Thanks for being here with me. <3
-Pauly V ..i.,
Leave a Reply