Something Was Missing Within

At a time when populist rhetoric, conflict, and war are on the rise worldwide, toxic notions of masculinity — glorifying strength and dominance — have resurfaced in various forms: the figure of the strongman, the protector of the home, or the aggressor.

Something Was Missing Within turns its gaze inward, examining the
emotional landscape shaped by patriarchal expectations of masculinity. The project explores how ideals of strength, control, and stoicism isolate men from their emotional selves, creating an inner silence that mirrors the violence such systems produce on the outside.

Winner of the APhF:24 Dummy Award feat. Witty Books within the Athens Photo Festival Book Program curated by Sylvia Sachini and with the support of Future Format.

With text by Dirk Gieselmann