While exploring the theme of pain, I had the privilege of meeting many dancers who generously shared their personal stories with me. Facing pain — alongside care — felt incredibly freeing. Instead of hiding it, we opened up, shared experiences, and created space for dialogue, understanding, and empathy. Together, we turned pain into a powerful source of self-expression in all its forms.
With this book, I want to show that pain is deeply personal. Everyone experiences it differently, and pretending it doesn‘t exist only makes it louder. Pain comes in many shapes, faces, and contradictions — and that‘s okay. Your pain isn’t the same as mine, just as mine isn’t yours. Often, words aren‘t enough to describe it. So instead, we expresed it through movement.
How does your pain look? And how does it shift when you allow it to exist — when you take care of it?
These questions became the starting point for a series of photographs. Photographs of pain, photographs of care.
And, eventually, this book.
Concept & Photography - Constantin Trommlitz
Graphic Design & Binding - Aydan Arinc
Collaborators - Robert Ssempijja, Lara Szymanski Canaro, Virginia Lewerissa, Sophia Esmeralda Vollmer, Filippo Gualandris, Simone Wennerberg, Hoang Minh Vo, Annika Faescke (Nika), Aydan Arinc