About Love and Pain
Ana Hop’s book ATC 1963 traces the life, struggles, and tenderness of the author’s aunt, Arminda, who lives with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.
By Gaia Squarci. Photographs by Ana Hop.
The book unfolds in a loose chronological sequence, beginning before Arminda’s birth and following her through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Across archival images and recent portraits, the photographs reveal the gradual deterioration of her mental state. Interspersed throughout are still lifes shot inside the home, many of which carry a subtle imbalance: something’s slightly out of place, a dissonance that mirrors Arminda’s inner world.
Handwritten notes from the author’s aunt punctuate the narrative. She writes about what she likes, or declares: “I have schizophrenia and I love you very much.” For years, her condition, though addressed with openness today, remained a family secret.
At the core, the book is about love: the love of a niece and of a sister, Ana’s mother, toward Arminda. But it is also driven by a question. Since her diagnosis has prevented her from working or sustaining an active social life, one cannot help but wonder to what extent these imposed restrictions may have contributed to the worsening of her condition. Ultimately, the work stands as a statement on the need to make visible the marginalization that surrounds those living with mental illness.
The book ATC 1963 is published by Editorial RM and available at the price of 35 Euro.
