Baptiste Lignel - Pop Pills (Signed)

Signed 1st edition published by Dewi Lewis, 2016
Format: Hardback, 185x245mm
Pages: 224
Condition: Very Good.

One in five Americans under eighteen years old is diagnosed as having a mental condition that translates into behavioral problems. Often this is treated with medication, which can start from an extremely young age. Over a six-year period, Baptiste Lignel followed the progress of nine American teenagers with an array of pathologies which lead to behavioral problems, such as ADHD and OCD as well as depression and anxiety. In candid interviews the teenagers talk about their diagnoses and the impact that their medical treatment has had on their lives. Lignel also explores the social background and, in particular, the imagery that is fed back through social media and popular culture. Photographs are combined with elements found in popular culture and social media, showing us what image is reflected back from society - often a negative one. Far from trivializing the difficulties these young people face, this combination brings additional voices to the narrative, and broadens its scope. It contributes to drawing a balanced picture of a complex topic, often simplified and stigmatized by the media. Lignel says, "When working on a controversial subject, my goal is to remain as neutral as possible. My hope is to bring to light many aspects surrounding the topic sometimes contradictory ones in order for the readers to make up their own minds." Pop Pills offers a balanced account of what is inevitably a complex and controversial subject