Paula Razuri

Zapped is a series of self portraits that use black and white and infrared film alongside long exposures and movement for an unsettled look. Features disappear, the face blurs, multiple identities emerge, and excessive light overwhelms in places. Obscured lines and surreal blurs mirror memory loss and the fogginess of being unwell.

This work reflects falling deep into mental illness and receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment. ECT, viewed with fear and skepticism, can also be effective. The treatment also has a controversial history for having been used unethically, and the work reflects what it’s like to surrender to a process that challenges both personal and public perceptions.

Zapped invites viewers to consider what it’s like to give up a distorted sense of self in the hope of achieving wellness.


Paula Razuri is a photographer from Toronto. Her work incorporates a background in literature, comedy, video, and analog photography to produce personal and reflective images on the themes of isolation, self-improvement, mental health and nature. She combines text and images in self-published zines that attempt to assign meaning to missed memories and manual errors in photography.

Contact the artist directly for information on purchasing.

Website: www.paularazuri.com
IG: @paulabuffano

May 15 to May 26th, 2024
918 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Sun and Star Rooms

Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 12pm to 5pm
Opening reception: Thursday, May 16th from 6-9pm
Artist talk: Saturday, May 18th from 1-3pm