In collaboration with internationally-renowned director and photographer Tom Gould, Voices Of Hope are proud to announce the relaunch of an innovative and insightful audio-visual exhibition, Behind the Smile.
A striking photo and audio series, Behind the Smile profiles 11 everyday kiwis who have faced staggering mental health challenges throughout their lives. Transcending a traditional visual exhibition experience, this showcase is interactive and engaging.
Guests are able to listen to each individual share stories about the challenges they’ve had to navigate via their mobile device while admiring the striking and contrasted profile imagery that adorns the gallery walls. The exhibition is a call for all kiwis to be more curious, empathetic, and in touch with our humanity – everyone has struggles you can’t see Behind the Smile.
Voices Of Hope co-founder Genevieve Mora is proud to extend the spotlight to a diverse range of individuals through Behind the Smile. “We are on a mission to inform, empower, and spread hope to those struggling with mental health, by amplifying inspiring voices of lived experience. For this campaign, it was really important to us to share the stories of everyday kiwis, in the hope that audiences will be able to resonate, reflect, and leave the space feeling hopeful and inspired. We are excited to bring this to a new community where hopefully more people can be positively impacted.”
This passion project has been over a year in the making, with Gould and the team, travelling across Aotearoa visiting the ‘happy place’ of each person in an effort to capture their essence in its truest form.
To anyone struggling, just know that you are not alone. It’s not weak to speak.
The Incubator Creative Hub Director Simone Anderson says, “We are thrilled to be hosting this extraordinary exhibition in Tauranga, which carries a profoundly powerful message about mental health—a subject often shrouded in silence and stigma. Through the art of photography, the Voices of Hope collaboration with Tom Gould has created the opportunity to bring these hidden narratives to light, presenting them in a visually compelling and accessible way.
It is a celebration of art’s ability to foster awareness, empathy, and understanding, and we are honoured to be part of this transformative journey.”
Voices Of Hope invites viewers to head to The People’s Gallery – Toi Ka Rere in The Incubator Creative Hub based in The Historic Village, 159 17th Avenue, Tauranga South, to experience this creative work, and be both inspired and comforted by the bravery and vulnerability of each individual.
