Gomma Photography Grant 2023
Mental Health Housing
Photographer
Ivory Day Marfil Diaz
Mental Health Housing
23 Feb, 2024
Since the widespread closure of psychiatric institutions, which started in the late 1980s, low-income housing facilities have become the primary aid for the severely mentally ill in many countries. The few people within the system who are not forced to live on the street are now recommended to live in these homes. Patients are no longer removed from society to be placed in mental institutions. Now they live in group-homes and are typically able to come and go as they please. However, the people who reside in these new facilities maintain a very distinct way of life. Constant regulation and periodic distribution of medications constitute the rules of these housing communities. Due to heavy medication, few social programs, and the longterm effects of their illnesses, the lives within these homes are usually very sedate and, often, the main form of socialization revolves around the designated smoke rooms. Consequently, the life-styles within these housing facilities tend to be very similar from country to country. In a sense, these facilities have created a new sub-culture; a new way of being for the deinstitutionalized. This work explores the individual personalities that reside within these homes in Vancouver, New York, Mexico City and Paris
About the photographer
Ivory Day Marfil Diaz
Ivory Day’s (Marfíl Diaz’) artistic exploration is found at the convergence of intellect and creativity, an unfolding narrative woven through philosophy and art. Beginning at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, she found her visual language through a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She then ventured into philosophy, obtaining a Master's degree at King’s College London and a Doctorate in Philosophy from l’Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2022. Presently, she is a postdoctoral researcher delving into Mexican philosophy at la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. She has taught both undergraduate and postgraduate courses at Paris 1 and la UNAM, in art and philosophy. Day has presented her research at conferences in cities such as Dublin, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Athens, Prague, Naples, Jerusalem, among others. In addition to her articles on philosophy of language, ontology, creativity and difference, her imminent full-length manuscript, poised for publication in Paris, France by the end of 2024, serves as a culmination of years of scholarly dedication to creativity. The heart of her artistic work lies in the fusion of philosophy and visual expression in order to engage in profound studies of societal phenomena. Each project is a testament to years of meticulous refinement, and represents philosophical exploration through visual language. Day’s work has been found within museums such as Museo de la Ciudad de México, Museo de las Tres Culturas, and Centro Cultural de México Contemporáneo. Participating in renowned international festivals like FotoSeptiembre and Paris Photo Week, her work has traveled across galleries in Mexico City, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, and Paris, among others. Her published works in photographic books and magazines include Cuarto Oscuro and This is East Van, found at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Looking forward, she seeks to blur the boundaries between philosophy of language, visual language, and metaphysics.
