At the age of 16, Yara lost her best friend to suicide, which caused a source of pain that made her realize the importance of addressing the taboo surrounding this sensitive subject. Through this, she saw the need to create space for understanding and connection, and thus provide comfort to loved ones who are struggling with the complexity of a traumatic grieving process that can last for years.

The Living Through project focuses on easing the pain for those left behind by suicide, highlighting the crucial journey of grief and the need to open a dialogue about this often stigmatized topic.

In the photo book, Yara guides the audience through the stages of grief, offering a complex story at each stage through images and poetry.

Let's Live Through It Together.

The form of "Doorleven" is a photo book. A5 diary format, personal and vulnerable, hence coverless. With a book you can take your time, so I do not determine the speed that readers need to absorb it. Because everyone grieves at their own pace.

The first editions of Doorleven were sewn together by hand with a French cross stitch. This way you can really experience the yellow thread that connects the booklet. The yellow ribbon is the ribbon for suicide prevention, which is why I chose the color yellow. The element wind plays a major role throughout the booklet. Wind is a diverse force that blows unpredictably through your life, just like the mourning period after a suicide.

This booklet came to life together with Susan from creative DOT design, Rob, the spoken relatives, 113, Rogier Hulst Fund, Cultuurfonds Brabant and the lovely donors to my voordekunst campaign.

Read the blog about the making process of Doorleven here!

Some pictures from the booklet