Grief Camp is a photographic series shot at a summer camp in upstate New York. The series follows the children attending this camp, each one who has undergone a significant loss in their life.
Grief Camp is a photographic series shot at a summer camp in upstate New York. The series follows the children attending this camp, each one who has undergone a significant loss in their life. Whether it be the death of a parent or friend, they know they are attending this camp to address the recent loss of their loved one, face their pain and fear, and strive to celebrate the life of the one they’ve lost.
Through all of his work, David Jay encourages the viewer to engage in honest introspection: recognizing more similarities than differences between the viewer and the subject. We see ourselves in them, and we recognize that an individual’s struggles are often times just underneath the surface.
David chose to reveal this particular message through the eyes of a child. The experience of childhood should be one of innocence; defined by purity, learning, exploration, and excitement. Too often this is not the case, as with these children’s experiences, where they have each witnessed horrific and brutal loss, often due to the actions and reactions of adults.
Through the honesty and vulnerability that lies within the eyes of a child, David hopes to remind the viewer that as humans engaging in our ever-changing society, we must take great care in our interactions with others, as each human exchange catalyzes a greater and more influential reaction.
These portraits reveal the realities of our actions, and the future they create.