SnapshotPhotographer Jason Poturica deals with mental illness through art

Jason Poturica suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder, depression and anxiety since his youth. Art and photography helped him deal with his mental illnesses. Now he is launching his own show at the Winnipeg Art Gallery to raise awareness of mental illness and the role that art can play.

His show is called Journeys. It is a series of photographs featuring a gentleman who lives inside a world of words. He built a series of dioramas by hand, then lit them with lights and mirrors, then photographed them. The idea is to give people a view of what it would look like to live inside a book. He feels that all sorts of emotions, from happiness to depression to anxiety, are expressed in the work.

SCENE asked Poturica to share one of his photographs.

This scene was created by combining elements of photography and set design. Coupling these with a number of different lighting techniques, I was able to achieve the warm feel in the finished piece. The last step involved painting in the clouds and birds to add some natural elements to this landscape style photograph.

Jason Poturica's photographic series is launching Friday, November 30 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery from 6-9 p.m. The show runs until December 6th. His book Journeys and prints will also be on sale.