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Suicide – (not) a taboo subject!
Although two to three people in Switzerland take their own lives every day, and up to thirty people are medically treated following a suicide attempt, hardly anyone talks about it. However, in order to support each other, we should talk about suicide openly and constructively. In the exhibition “What’s up, Life! Suicide: a conversation with surviving relatives” by Martin Steiner, in collaboration with Wohlen Cantonal School, surviving relatives, helpers and their immediate social circles get to have their say.
Losing someone to suicide is a devastating and frequently shared experience. What reactions does a suicide trigger in surviving relatives, their social circles and helpers? What answers are there to this challenging situation? And how do you talk about it?
The exhibition attempts to express the inexpressible in words, in the form of open and constructive contributions from people directly and indirectly affected (family members, friends), doctors, psychiatrists, funeral directors, survivors, specialists, police officers and pastoral workers, who all give the taboo subject a specific, true-to-life language, in the form of a “living library”, and a 360-degree perspective on the issue of suicide.
The “Living Library” will take place in Wohlen Cantonal School on 14–19 March 2020.
As well as the “Living Library”, podcasts are available on the website while the exhibition is still on (Mon-Thurs). Many surviving relatives (mother, father, daughter, spouse, friend, partner) talk in these “Living Books” about the day on which the person they loved took their own life. Likewise, different specialists also give an insight into the topic and report on their experiences with suicidal tendencies and suicide. Additionally, one affected person also provides a perspective on his own experiences with suicide. Both the exhibition and the “Living Books” are available free of charge and can be listened to at home.
