Photographer Jyri Pitkänen and Author Eveliina Talvitie wanted to explore the everyday reality of disabled children and their families. The result was an art project, The Different, which took the pair to numerous countries and various homes.
The Different clears the path for a minority’s perspective which is often missing. The fascinating tapestry of stories and images reveals differences and commonalities but poses also questions. Must those who deviate from the norm adapt to the society or society to the differentness? Could the differentness-respecting view on human dignity be somethng in common with everyone despite diffent cultures and beliefs?
Language: Finnish
Jyri Pitkänen (born in 1979, Helsinki, Finland) is a photographer, visual artist and documentarian who has dealt with marginal groups of society, consumer society, his own family, and his relationship with religion in his works, among other things. Pitkänen has also worked as an art instructor for young disabled people and photography teacher.
Eveliina Talvitie (born in 1970, Pori, Finland) is a journalist and an author who is known for her feminist non-fiction books. In the summer of 2019, she published her debut novel. Talvitie has previously worked as a news editor, television presenter, and public relations manager.