Questioning The 'Real' Boundaries Of Care, Memory, And Identity: A Photo Essay

Is it real or am I imagining it? I was in denial during the initial years of my treatment while struggling with symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Oscillation emerges from my deeply personal experiences of living with borderline personality disorder—a condition marked by emotional instability, distorted self-image, and turbulent interpersonal relationships.

Through photography, I explore the tension between internal emotional landscapes and external perceptions, questioning the boundaries between what is felt and what is considered “real”. Fragments of memory—sometimes connected, sometimes disparate—are reconstructed in staged images and through the use of archival photographs from family albums. By layering the past and the present, I attempt to weave an intergenerational dialogue about care, memory, and the shaping of identity.

Each image becomes a carefully constructed metaphor, extending beyond my own reality to resonate with a wider audience. Beyond the personal narrative, Oscillation also engages with the history of self-representation in photography and the intersection of personal memory with constructed imagery. It aligns with artistic traditions that explore vulnerability, self-reflection, and the blurred lines between documentary and conceptual photography.

(Views expressed are personal)

Vidushi Gupta is a visual artist and photographer exploring mental health and personal narratives.