DHI photography exhibition
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BSU alum creates portrait exhibition for local charity
Tuesday, 5 November, 2024Founded in 1999, Developing Health and Independence (DHI) is a charity based in and around Bath, offering support to people struggling with drug and alcohol related issues. They offer a wide range of support tailored to people’s individual needs, ranging from short term help to more long-term intensive support programmes.
Having helped thousands of people, the charity is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year with a portrait exhibition of service users throughout time, hosted in Bath. Putting DHI’s belief that the problems people face do not exist in a vacuum, and the help provided to them should be purely holistic and personal, at the forefront of the collection. Exhibition photographer and BSU Psychology, Media and Social Sciences graduate Darius Jéan stated:
"What I really wanted to come across was people coming out of the darkness and in to light."
Photographing this special cause resonates personally with Darius as a previous user of DHI’s services himself. He said:
“DHI supported me through a very vulnerable time in my life. They provided me with the stability of a place in their supported housing, where I was encouraged into education, finishing with an honours degree from Bath Spa University."
The concept behind the exhibition is to make a coffee table book that celebrates the 25 years of DHI by showcasing 25 service users. Darius’ mission being to tell a story, to communicate character and focus on individuality. Darius said:
"I was being really spontaneous in the moment, creating something out of nothing. It feels exciting to be part of the 25th anniversary, to watch such an incredible organisation, which has influenced my life, just keep going and to survive 25 years is no easy task."
The exhibition is being held at the Museum of Bath at Work and will run from Tuesday 5 November till Friday 8 November.