Leila El Sabbagh
Sports Editor
Christopher Rogers, a senior photography major, has put his photography exhibit “You’re Not Alone” on display in the West Gallery of the Campus Center until May 29.
The exhibit calls attention to different traumatic experiences using just the hand of an anonymous individual with the incident written out on their palm.
“I experienced trauma at a young age, so trauma and mental health has always been a really big thing in my life,” Rogers said. “I’ve come to a big realization that everybody is going to go through a trauma in their life, some worse than others.”
Many of the palms raise awareness to different traumas stretching from being trafficked, raped and eating disorders. Rogers wanted to convey the idea that everyone is going to experience some kind of trauma but that whoever is battling it are not by themselves.
“Although this show kind of seems dark, it’s actually a pretty hopeful topic,” Rogers said. “It brings up the conversation of realizing everybody has some form of battle that they’re going through and we as people can be more understanding of that and more cognizant when we’re talking about it.”
Incorporating the relatability aspect in his show, Rogers has been able to resonate with many gallery viewers. Some even approach him in appreciation and tears, each person calling attention to a different subject.
“Everybody that I’ve talked to, they all have something that’s stuck out to them because there’s some that fall into certain categories,” Rogers said “And if you were to categorize them by, let’s say, sexual abuse traumas, domestic violence, family loss, you realize that everybody’s response to those things are going to, in the long term, be the same.”
“It’s so bizarre to me too. I didn’t realize how impactful it would be until I just watched people start crying at the show. Seeing people just kind of, like, stop and stare at one thing.”
With so many hands telling different stories, Rogers wanted to make sure the confidentiality of these individuals were secure. Rogers has no idea whose hands were involved in the production of this show.
By holding a tabling event, Rogers was able to advertise for immediate participation. Creating a safe space and making sure anonymity was priority, Rogers was able to let participants tell the full and honest truth of their trauma taking into consideration any identifiable features like rings, bracelets, tattoos, etcetera.
“The way it was done, there was actually a barrier between me and the people,” Rogers said. “Me and that one person, nobody else saw what they wrote. I never saw what they wrote. I don’t know whose is who, I don’t know their gender, I don’t know their story. All I know is that one thing about them.”
“It’s kind of a cathartic experience to be a part of and that, I feel, makes it stand out more. That human aspect of that’s somebody’s hand and that’s their story. But that’s all you see, you don’t know who it is. You could be looking at the show and the person next to you is the hand that you’re staring at, you have no idea.”
Other than the array of hands, Rogers added portraits to the show. Submerging himself in water, he created the illusion of drowning and feeling of anxiety.
Rogers was able to experiment with four different cameras like an underwater film camera and a digital diver camera.
“Those (portraits) were all taken at night in a big pool, and then lit with essentially a flood light and a dive light from across the pool so that you couldn’t see the back of the pool, but you could see me,” Rogers said. “The idea that I wanted to kind of portray is the idea of drowning and how it corresponds with trauma is the idea that you’re calling for help. Nobody can hear you, you feel like you’re drowning, but you’re not alone.”
With such a heavy topic comes a big mental burden. Rogers shared that it can be a lot when fully immersing himself is a world of trauma.
“It can get pretty heaving when you’re sorting them, getting them printed, framing all of it. During this process, I really wanted to get myself kind of in that headspace to brace myself. My entire wall is actually covered with hand prints with contacts I could choose what I wanted for what show.”
Rogers also shared that he would like to put this show on in a larger scale, showcasing more hand prints and telling more stories. Seeing the impact of this show, Rogers wants to make as much of an impact as possible while making sure he’s not at the heart of it.
“I don’t believe this show is about me. I didn’t want to put a personal statement. I didn’t want to guide people’s thoughts, you’re not having the moment to just look at the work and just let it resonate with you that way,” Rogers said.
“I feel like this topic was kind of a risk because it’s a social thing that everybody talks about, mental health is one of the big topics that everybody knows,” Rogers said. “But nobody talks about it in this context. I feel like the conversation is usually how to get out of the issue asking questions like ‘how do we solve it’? Nobody really ever has a great answer other than therapy. Awareness is the biggest key part of it. I really wanted to push that standard of how you show something artistically, but have a massive impact.”
Leila El Sabbagh can be reached at leila.elsabbagh@laverne.edu.
Leila El Sabbagh is the sports editor for the Campus Times. She is a sophomore journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism who aspires to be a sports broadcaster. She has previously served as a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Thatiana Gibbs is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print-online journalism. She is a photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine. Her enthusiasm lies in research, writing, and effectively delivering captivating information to the public eye. She has previously been an assistant editor and staff writer for the Campus Times, and a staff writer for La Verne Magazine.
