"These portraits of patients in a Cuban psychiatric hospital the notion of power becomes even more central due to the vulnerability (or perceived vulnerability) of the subjects. This is addressed by handing over the majority of the power to the subject, who takes their own portrait with the help of a shutter release cable. Photographers Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin’s controls has been limited to framing (full body) background (plain) and viewpoint of camera (eye level), all choices made for neutrality. The rest comes down to the subject’s personality/mood, the two most magical examples for me are Mario (top) who decided to turn his back on the camera and Julio (bottom) who made two portraits: One for his heart and one for his head."
