PPD, often known as postpartum depression, is a form of depression that develops after giving birth. Although common, it may be crippling—something that Felicia Simion, a photojournalist from Romania, personally experienced. She didn’t feel herself since she felt cut off from nature. She utilised her photography to further strengthen those ties because she is a creative person.
Simion’s photographic project, Rewired, was inspired by her struggles with severe PPD. She adds, “I started to look for solace in people and the metropolis, throwing myself into the world of the crowded streets, coffee shops, and never-ending amounts of work. She no longer experienced the same feelings of calm and joy when she travelled to the country from the city. Simion made the decision to travel to Iceland in order to truly escape.
Simion talked to us about Rewired and her decision to film it in Iceland. For My Modern Met’s exclusive interview, scroll down.
Felicia Simion, a photographer from Romania, experienced severe postpartum depression. She went to Iceland for a series called Rewired in order to rediscover herself.
If someone had never seen your work before, how would you explain it to them?
Eclectic. Real and fantastical all at once.
Tell us about your Rewired project. What served as its inspiration?
Rewired started as a journey for me to regain my personal connection to Nature after being cut off by a severe postpartum depression. I had a deep need to produce something unvarnished, to put myself in awkward situations, and to view myself differently. I yearned for both the serenity and the wrath of nature. I yearned to get as close to being at one with nature as I could. I therefore made the decision to physically attach myself to it in an effort to restore a broken connection.
For the series, you travelled to Iceland. What about the nation drew you in?
The beauty, isolation, nature’s savagery, the Arctic Ocean—everything about Iceland spoke to me. Since I started experimenting with photography as a teenager, I had always wanted to travel to Iceland. The realm of Iceland, in my opinion, is distinct and otherworldly. I believe I have “extraplanetary syndrome” in terms of nature. I am easily captivated by odd locales that are ambiguous in their affiliation. And Iceland is unquestionably the ideal location for it.
What symbolic meaning does the yarn in your work have, especially in relation to how it interacts with your body and the environment?
Simply expressed, my connection to nature and return to my roots come through the yarn, a natural fabric. It is that which both confines and frees.
How did you feel when Rewired was over? What do you want the audience to take away from the show?
Sincerely, I felt rewired. My yearning for nature and art seemed to have been met. It was difficult to deal with the negative temperatures and the looks of the tourist throng; I hope the viewers would become engrossed in the Icelandic landscapes and connect with the emotion I poured into them while there. However, for a brief period, I was by myself with the rocks, icebergs, moss, and black sand, and that made me feel absolutely alive.
What are you expecting in the future? What fascinating projects are you pursuing?
My upcoming project will be a brief documentary series of individual portraits that will centre on environmental problems in a community in Southern Romania. Keep close, but I’m sorry I can’t tell you more right now.
Felicia Simion: Website | Instagram | Facebook
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