“When I couldn’t eat strawberries, I pretended watermelons were strawberries.” — Said 5 years old Vitória Bacchi to a friend who also had multiple food allergies
In Watermelons Are Not Strawberries, I portray my inner transformation and pursuit of self-awareness while navigating the challenges related to parenting. The black and white photographs blend conceptual and documentary photography that reveals the shapes and shadows of my love for motherhood as it merges with a lifetime of my personal anxiety. Over six years, the work grew into a story of resilience, hope, and mutual support between my children and me. In this creative process, I found the strength to heal old wounds by examining universal feelings such as sadness, happiness, and love. My two daughters were challenged with severe food allergies and learning differences in their early years. In helping them cope with their adversities, I was forced to delve into my dark places to confront the deeply entrenched fear, shame, and guilt that stem from my then-undiagnosed dyslexia. I didn’t want my girls to feel the constant neurotic need to fit into the social norms, as I did my whole life. So, we established our own “normal” way to live our lives, creating a sense of complicity and empathy among each other, building a stronger relationship.While I was advocating for my daughters, I learned how to advocate for myself. While I was trying to understand them, I deeply understood myself.
