John Park Photographs Antidepressants to Spark a Deeper Conversation
All images by John Park. Used with permission.
Antidepressants are a taboo subject matter. Some see them as a sign of defeat, a loss of independence. Others view them as a means to improve one's mental state. Worried people will judge them negatively, many people like to keep their meds private. Photographer John Park is doing the opposite - he's showing his meds to the world through his current photography project.
This series isn’t just a range of photographs of Antidepressants. It’s deeper than that. It’s a man prepared to expose himself, leave himself vulnerable and have a serious conversation about mental health.
Don’t get me wrong, the images are great - they’re certainly not something you see often. But, to me, they’re more of a stepping stone to a broader conversation about how society discusses mental health and what we can do to support one another.
I’ve written a lot about the relationship between photography and mental health and this conversation with Park is an extension of that. Throughout this interview he shares his personal journey, the cultural stigma attached to discussing mental health and where he hopes to take this powerful project.
About John Park
John Park.
John Park is a photographer that happily covers a range of photographic genres. He’s the author of While You Were Sleeping, a photo book that explores the outside world and how life often feels like a beautiful dream.
Park also sells a range of beautiful prints and zines, including a handful of limited edition works.
Them Frames: How did you arrive at the decision to photograph your antidepressants, and what was your initial approach to visualizing something so personal?
John Park: I know it’s obvious, but being dumb, it took me a long time to realize that the most resonant and timeless art, the work that moved me the most emotionally, reflected a deeply personal story about or obsession of the artist, if not the viewer. I’m thinking in particular of W. Eugene Smith, Helmut Newton, Nan Goldin and Robert Mapplethorpe.
So one day I just started thinking: what am I most afraid of? And why? Could I use that somehow creatively? That led me to shame. It’s so universal.
I’m as deeply flawed as anyone. I’ve done things I’ve regretted, gotten divorced, had suicidal thoughts and the rest. But, the thing I was most ashamed of, that I felt I had to keep secret, was my depression and ADHD.
Here’s why—it seems to me that in America mental illness has a stigma physical illness does not. It’s less tangible and it’s worse in Korean culture, where appearances are paramount. It’s no coincidence that Seoul has more plastic surgery clinics per capita than anywhere else in the world (yes, including Hollywood). Mental illness is viewed as a personal failing that must never be acknowledged.
After that, the notion of shooting my antidepressants seemed obvious. I loved the idea of acting shameless, despite how scared I was.
Them Frames: Could you walk us through your creative process for these photographs - from conception to the technical aspects of capturing these pills in a way that feels meaningful?
John Park: Initially I wanted to treat each pill like a jewel, as a sort of comment on how valuable they’d become to me and the pharma industry. I wanted them to be exacting and beautiful.
I knew I wanted the prints to be big, so I used a 60mp Leica M11 with a 50mm lens on a macro adapter, at f11 for maximum depth and sharpness. I shot everything on a white background using my iPhone as a light source. (The shot with my finger reaching in was actually a happy accident.)
I was surprised when I looked at the images later. They were so unsentimental. Not at all jewel-like. The orange pill, Desvenlafaxine, was pocked, scuffed, and a little dirty. The edges of the green pill, Aripiprazole, were irregular. The numbers on everything were so utilitarian, but also a little creepy, like something from the film THX-1138.
Their gravity was in how powerful, yet ordinary and unglamorous, they were.
Them Frames: You mentioned Korean culture's view of mental health - how has navigating between different cultural attitudes toward mental health shaped both your personal journey and your photography?
John Park: I never went against the grain, which any artist must.
The older I’ve gotten, though, the more I’ve moved away from that. I’ve abolished “shoulds”—questions like, “How should I look and act to appear successful?”
“How should I create something that others will like?”
“How should I shoot something so it looks accurate?”
“How should I do something correctly?”
Them Frames: How does it feel going public with such a personal topic? What are the benefits?
John Park: It was scary as hell. But the moment I hit “Post” I felt a weight lift. I’d felt the fear but done it anyway and I instantly realized I was the one who had made up this limiting belief. I was no longer my own worst enemy. Or a little less so, anyway. And it helped that people liked the idea.
Them Frames: You spoke about making work that's authentic rather than just decorative - can you expand on that for us, please?
John Park: A lot of photography I see is pleasant, made for likes, or technically proficient but emotionally sterile. What I call “Postcard shots.” They have no tension, urgency, or soul.
I try to create work that breathes somehow. Something with intention, unique beauty and personal resonance that will strike you emotionally, even if you’re not quite sure why.
Them Frames: You mentioned this project is ongoing, how do you envision it may evolve?
John Park: I’m going to keep seeking perspectives and subjects that make me uncomfortable or that stir a little obsession in me, stuff that rings a bell deep inside me. I’ll know it when it happens because it’s like hearing a great song for the first time. Something happens to the gravity around me.
Them Frames: We’re big on music at Them Frames. If you could select a piece of music to complement this project, what would it be and why?
John Park: “Bebop Hurry” by Brian Eno/Karl Hyde
Them Frames: What role has photography played in your broader journey with mental health, beyond this specific project?
John Park: Photography is unexpectedly meditative. It forces me to see the world with fresh eyes, which is strangely therapeutic and deepened my connection with people and the world. It’s the most powerful way I’ve found to participate in my own life.
You can see more work from John Park by visiting his website.
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