From cliffs and staircases to even the confines of a bathroom, photographer Kerry Skarbakka placed his own body at the center of seemingly imminent falls. Created between 2001 and 2014, 'The Struggle to Right Oneself' is a photographic series that explores anxiety, vulnerability, and the human instinct to endure through images of imbalance and collapse. Bodies defying gravity, airborne furniture, and time frozen mid-crisis visually manifest the psychological instability of contemporary life.
The scenes were not simply the result of digital manipulation, but were built through real physical performances. Skarbakka used ropes and harnesses to suspend himself before digitally removing them from the final photographs. By literally putting his own body on the line, the artist imbued the work with a visceral sense of danger and authenticity. Capturing the split second before impact, the series continues to convey a powerful sense of tension that leaves viewers holding their breath.
Skarbakka's work goes beyond visual shock to probe the fundamental precariousness of human existence. The physical act of falling becomes a metaphor for life's uncontrollable moments, the unpredictable future, and the instinct to regain balance even amid chaos. The reason these images still resonate powerfully more than two decades later is that they touch upon a universal fear—that any one of us could fall at any moment.
The scenes were not simply the result of digital manipulation, but were built through real physical performances. Skarbakka used ropes and harnesses to suspend himself before digitally removing them from the final photographs. By literally putting his own body on the line, the artist imbued the work with a visceral sense of danger and authenticity. Capturing the split second before impact, the series continues to convey a powerful sense of tension that leaves viewers holding their breath.
Skarbakka's work goes beyond visual shock to probe the fundamental precariousness of human existence. The physical act of falling becomes a metaphor for life's uncontrollable moments, the unpredictable future, and the instinct to regain balance even amid chaos. The reason these images still resonate powerfully more than two decades later is that they touch upon a universal fear—that any one of us could fall at any moment.
FAQ
What is Kerry Skarbakka's The Struggle to Right Oneself about?
Created from 2001 to 2014, this series captures moments just before falling, documenting human figures losing balance and collapsing to convey anxiety, vulnerability, and the will to endure through photographic work.
How did Skarbakka photograph the falling images?
He used ropes and harnesses to suspend himself mid-air, then digitally removed them in post-production. The work was completed through actual performance with the artist himself physically throwing his body during shooting.
What message does Kerry Skarbakka's work convey?
Through the physical phenomenon of falling, it symbolizes uncontrollable life moments, unpredictable futures, and the human instinct to regain balance within them, exploring the essential instability of existence.
