Using photography to work through loss and bereavement
© Del Loewenthal
These photographs are part of a larger set, taken when the photographer’s mother died, of the house he was brought up in. This use of photography as a way of starting to work through the photographer's experiences of loss and bereavement can be termed therapeutic photography.
In doing this the photographer also had in mind the ethics of such photography. In particular, he was interested in when he might be putting his mother first and when he might be putting himself first, as well as when he might be putting neither or both first.
There were further complexities as to the ethics for the viewer including family and friends. This notion of ethics as ‘putting the other first’ comes from the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas who considered every face to say ‘don’t do violence to me’ and ‘don’t let me die alone’ – which, at least in the latter case, the photographer failed to do for his mother.
Del Loewenthal is the Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education Convener Doctoral Programmes in Psychotherapy and Counselling Department of Psychology University of Roehampton Whitelands College.
In doing this the photographer also had in mind the ethics of such photography. In particular, he was interested in when he might be putting his mother first and when he might be putting himself first, as well as when he might be putting neither or both first.
There were further complexities as to the ethics for the viewer including family and friends. This notion of ethics as ‘putting the other first’ comes from the French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas who considered every face to say ‘don’t do violence to me’ and ‘don’t let me die alone’ – which, at least in the latter case, the photographer failed to do for his mother.
Del Loewenthal is the Director of the Research Centre for Therapeutic Education Convener Doctoral Programmes in Psychotherapy and Counselling Department of Psychology University of Roehampton Whitelands College.
