J. Sybylla Smith, In Conversation with Vivian Keulards
Episode #10 Summary:
A deeply reverent quest of truth depicted in documentary and metaphorical images by Dutch photographer, Vivian Keulards, to reveal, understand, and honor her only brother’s full life, which was slowly consumed and ultimately ended by addiction.
Episode Notes
Confronting the societal and familial taboo of addiction, Keulards courageously shares her journey to understand the impact on her brother, herself and their family. Fifteen years following her brother's death by cardiac arrest in a luxury Berlin hotel room due to his drug use, Keulards literally and metaphorically pulls back the curtain to reveal her exploration and discovery of the human experience of addiction. With this tactile book and a companion multimedia installation Keulards creates an immersive experience.
In this book group,Vivian discusses, among other things:
Understanding the implications of sharing a family secret
How assumptions slip into facts
Depicting the human side of addiction
The benefits of working with book designers and a publisher
Her crowd-sourcing experience to fund the project
The magic of serendipity
The role of collaboration
Referenced in the episode