We are celebrating the fifth group exhibition of Sensitive material, the project through which we bring the expressive and transformative potential of photography to people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA).
On this occasion, eight women survivors of CSA use photography to give form to what often cannot be expressed in words. Photography becomes a tool for understanding, reinterpreting, and making visible what too often remains unspoken.
The exhibition opens on May 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the La Casa Elizalde Cultural Center (c. Valencia, 302, Barcelona). It will be on open until July 18, with free admission, Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
This exhibition is the result of the fifth edition of the participatory photographic creation project Sensitive material, organized by the Photographic Social Vision Foundation in collaboration with the Vicki Bernadet Foundation.
Complementary activities
As part of the exhibition, several complementary activities will be held at Casa Elizalde.
To commemorate the five editions of Material Sensible, a conference will be held on June 8 at 7:00 p.m., reviewing the project’s evolution over its five editions and reflecting on its artistic, therapeutic, and social impact. To attend the conference you can call 93 488 05 90 or register here:
In addition, guided tours open to the general public will be offered on June 3 and 29, both at 7:00 p.m., led by Alice Monteil and Mireia Plans, the project’s directors.
The guided tours are free, with limited capacity, and require prior booking by calling 93 488 05 90 or through the following links:
In addition, the Photographic Social Vision Foundation offers guided tours of the exhibition for sociocultural organizations and, especially, for schoolchildren aged 14 and over. These tours are held Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., by prior reservation at educacion@fundacionpsv.org. Besides the guided tour of the exhibition with some of the authors and those responsible for the project, these visits provide a space for reflection on this social taboo, with the aim of raising awareness, informing, and providing prevention tools.
The fifth edition of the exhibition
The exhibition presents subtle and metaphorical images created by eight women who, over the course of six months, have shared their experiences not only with words, but also with images, and have experienced how photography can become a tool to review and understand their own experiences from a new perspective.
For the first time, the project has opened its doors to users of other therapeutic services, beyond the Vicki Bernadet Foundation, demonstrating that the project is mature enough to accommodate people with diverse backgrounds. Furthermore, this year a support space has been added for family members and those close to the participants, who are also indirectly affected by sexual abuse.
The photographs presented in the exhibition were taken as part of the fifth edition of the participatory photography workshop, “Sensitive material,” which began last September and now culminates with the public presentation of these intimate narratives. The exhibition makes visible an often-silenced reality, seeking to inspire the recovery of other affected individuals, giving new meaning to the lived experience and transcending the individual experiences of the photographers.
A decade of evolution of ‘Sensitive material’
The first edition of the Sensitive Material exhibition was held in 2017. Over these almost ten years, the methodology used has been improved year after year, to the point that it is currently the subject of scientific research on the benefits of the creative process for emotional well-being, in collaboration with the Research Group on Child and Adolescent Victimization (GReVIA) at the University of Barcelona.
Given its potential for raising awareness and prevention, the project has expanded beyond its initial objective of providing a creative space for people who have experienced sexual abuse in childhood.
The Photographic Social Vision Foundation and the Vicki Bernadet Foundation have created an alternative activity offered throughout the year: educational workshops held in secondary schools, aimed at students aged 14 and over. This educational and preventative program, which has been running since 2023, combines participatory activities to enhance visual skills and foster essential educational conversations about concepts such as consent, blackmail, guilt, shame, secrets, and power dynamics.
The Photographic Foundation has also produced a documentary about the project, available on the Caixaforum+ and Filmin platforms. They are currently working on a book compiling the first five editions, which will be published soon by Blume.
