David Nasater: Living Between the Darkness and the Light

Dark thoughts and anxieties increased gradually throughout David Nasater’s life. He doesn’t know when they began, but he became adept at deceiving himself and others about his inner turmoil. Photography became one of the tools he used to hide from his emotions, allowing him to detach, view his world through a lens, and avoid interactions with others.

Eventually, the depression became too much to suppress, and he sought assistance through therapy, which helped him to come to terms with the ups and downs. As Nasater became more aware of his feelings, he saw glimpses of his experience in his photographic work. At some point, he realized that his images of the natural world mirrored the ebb and flow of his depression. A lone tree on a hill, a chaotic flock of birds, a wave crashing over a rock, a sunflower in the evening light. Over time, his photography evolved from a means of escaping depression to a way to explore his mental state. 

The covid pandemic, with its lockdowns and limited social contact, brought many of his negative emotions back to the surface, inspiring him to explore his feelings more by creating new work. 

Living Between the Darkness and the Light provides glimpses into Nasater’s life with depression. On a personal level, these images are therapeutic as they enable him to identify and acknowledge his feelings. On a social level, Nasater curated this collection to shed light on the stigma of mental health issues. Viewers are encouraged to consider how these images make them feel and enhance their understanding of themselves.