JESSE

Just like Jesse’s life, I played with traditional documentary, visual storytelling, and with a touch of fine art photography to show his story in a somewhat organized way, with a touch of chaos.

Jesse is a farmer at Lemoine Point Farm; he is also a heroin addict and a methadone user. But addiction doesn’t define Jesse—his story is one of entrepreneurship, creativity, and a strong desire to live a healthier life.

Jesse has used almost every drug. After being in a methadone program for more than ten years, he has now reduced his monthly usage by more than half. With this reduction comes withdrawal symptoms: anxiety, migraines, and physical pain. Every day involves willpower. He sees no doctors other than for his weekly urine testing—he sees no therapists, no psychiatrists.

Instead, Jesse’s therapy comes from working on the farm and being a caretaker. He now raises chickens, pigs, cows, and sheep with an ethic of maintaining biodiversity and respecting the land. The farm gives him peace and a new focus: The animals are his protectors. Nature calms him down.

Jesse’s house is a place of chaos; there is a continuous process of recycling and upcycling of everything on the farm. What looks like garbage to most of us has a potential future life with Jesse. When you think about it, this chaos is tied to rebirth. Jesse’s story is one of a daily push and pull, of the continuous cycle of life and death.

His words: “I want to live.”

Read The Pictorial - In conversation with Andree Thorpe

Description:

Book – Jesse

Edition: 350 copies

136 pages, excluding cover

Size: 9″ x 7″

The book has earned:

PRICE: $ 55 CDN excluding shipping (including taxes)

We can do international shipping. Just contact me at andree.thorpe@icloud.com for a quote

Substance abuse and the horrors that come with it are now a regular part of modern life. Many of us know someone or know of someone, who is struggling with addiction

or going through recovery. The reasons that drive people into addiction are myriad, the search for artificial paradise has been with us for 100’s if not 1000’s of years and it

has been suggested that this is our fifth drive.

Documentary photographer Andree Thorpe has used her obvious talents to record the life of Canadian “Jesse” who has committed himself to recovery from heroin

addiction. Like many he has sampled almost every drug available in his search for escape, but now, through sheer will power, has directed his life towards a healthier and

more meaningful existence. Located at Lemoine’s Point Farm, Jesse has found solace and friendship, a place to reset his life. This is a stark difference to his previous ten

years on a methadone project; although his project continues, he has halved his dosage. Sadly, the effects of misuse are still present, the anxiety, headaches and aching

joints are, but a few of his maladies, and the photographer was very aware of this; the pair made a connection and a friendship, this closeness is evident in many of the

powerful images.

The photographs in Thorpe's book are exemplary. She fuses a modern approach to show the narrative of Jesse’s daily life. We are immersed in a tangle of chaos and

nature, and it is fascinating to look at. Every image causes you to dwell on what you are seeing and experiencing. Little details here and there add up and collectively open

new doors of perception.

Andree Thorpe has created a masterpiece and her use of colour is sublime, it is very easy to be swept along by the artistic value, but the pace of the images and the

balance constantly reminds you that you are witnessing a perfect relationship between the subject, artist, compelling documentary narrative and art.

This work is highly recommended.

David Cross.

CBDP Media.

12/06/2023

https://www.centreforbritishdocumentaryphotography.co.uk/photo-book-reviews