David's Mark (Ongoing) - Chance DeVille

Violence, specifically against women, is an epidemic that is rarely addressed as such. In Rebecca Solnit’s essay, “The Longest War”, she writes about these alarming statistics, bringing to light just how often these life-altering instances occur. Solnit states, “A woman is beaten every nine seconds in this country. Just to be clear: not nine minutes, but nine seconds. It’s the number-one cause of injury to American women; of the two million injured annually, more than half a million of those injuries require medical attention while about 145,000 require overnight hospitalization, according to the Center for Disease Control.”. These are only the statistics that can be applied because of what has been reported, and we know the reality is much worse. This work is important to not only show the specific trials my mother has faced due to this epidemic but to bring awareness to a wider audience and the ability to continue this conversation, idealistically inducing change. Due to David physically and mentally abusing my mother, Tammy, she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and severe Post-traumatic stress disorder. Neglecting psychiatric help, she turned to drugs and alcohol to suppress the disease. As a result of these changes in behavior and lifestyle, our relationship and power dynamic as mother and son changed drastically.
“David’s Mark” is not only a photographic investigation of my mother, but a tool to build a new relationship with her through documentation. By showing multiple portraits where facial expression, weight, and coherency often change, the viewer is let in on the fact that schizophrenia and addiction have become a catalyst for my mother’s behavior. Additionally, Through self-portraiture, I am documenting how these traumas have affected my body and psyche. As a gay man who is drawn to men that resemble David, I believe my desires, intimate relationships and attractions have been shaped and transformed, mostly negatively, by these acts. The self-portraits give me agency over my body and show the viewer a direct, vulnerable, but confrontational stance in defiance of the violence done to me.