BBC Our World
Art direction, Illustration, Concept
CONTEXT
BBC Serbia reached out to me to create a set of illustrations for a documentary they were making about traumatic birth experiences of women in the Balkans. This project holds a special place in my heart as my roots trace back to the Balkans (North Macedonia) and I draw inspiration from my mother's own story about my birth.
CHALLENGE
The challenge was to portray these horrific encounters in a sensitive, visually appealing way, without taking away from the horror of them.
SOLUTION
Through thoughtful illustrations, I strived to portray the delicate nature of these women's experiences, emphasising their vulnerability amidst the horrific events they faced.
'The nurses in the labour room called me a cow, an awful mother, an idiot'
'They performed curettage with no anaesthesia and without informing me'
'They forced me to have another cesarean section'
'The doctor asked me why I had screwed if I could not give birth and violently placed in another dose of gel'
'45 minutes of stitching with no anaesthesia, I don't want more children ever again'
Credits
ART DIRECTOR / ILLUSTRATOR
Jana Zafirovska
PROJECT LEAD
Petra Zivic
VIDEOGRAPHER
Karolina Mottram