Charlie James 
Not Waving But Drowning 

Not Waving but Drowning is a project that explores how long you can hold a smile before you physically cannot take it anymore. Social media consistently shows people smiling, creating the illusion of happiness, when in reality they may well be struggling with life. This illusion of happiness is not vital to a healthy life. Exploring the idea of people putting on a smile to hide how and what they are truly feeling, this project explores the detrimental effects of the social stigma surrounding depression and poor mental health. 

Title taken from the poem Not Waving But Drowning by Stevie Smith (1972) 

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