School Bullying Reflected in the Innocent Eyes of Children

French-Canadian photographer Benoit Paill captures the glistening, reflective eyes of children looking across a room at a wall displaying their own drawings about school bullying. Each fresh face in Paill's series displays a sense of innocence while also reflecting their awareness of the torment and incessant games of intimidation that's forced upon their peers and perhaps even themselves.

The project, which stemmed from the photographer's passion for portraiture, was originally an installation created for an exhibition revolving around the theme of school bullying at the Towada Art Center in Aomori, Japan. Spanning 1.2 meters high and 7 meters wide, the large-scale piece features each of their watchful gazes, side by side, reflecting streaks of light (their drawings on the wall) in their eyes like thin scratches across the pupil and iris. They are the visual scars of one who has witnessed or been the victim of bullying.

Benoit Paill: Website | Flickr
via [FanzineRed]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata (she/her) is the Editorial Director at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. She also runs her own art & culture newsletter called The High Low. She first joined the My Modern Met team in 2011 as a Contributing Writer, pitching and publishing articles about a wide range of topics. Her expertise in visual media lends itself to in-depth analysis of varied art forms, including but not limited to painting, illustration, sculpture, installation, design, and photography. Pinar has a particular affinity for spotlighting up-and-coming artists, affording them a platform and offering a voice to lesser-heard individuals looking to break through, especially BIPOC creatives. She has helped multiple artists make a name for themselves and reach a wider audience over 10+ years as a writer and editor (both through long-form articles and short-form videos). When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching films and TV, reading, crafting, drawing, frequenting museums and galleries, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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