Photography & text by Bob v Brunschot.

A  “PORTRAIT”  ABOUT ADDICTION & RESPONSIBILITY.

These are (were?) Jack & Christa, I first met them in the year 1995 at that time they lived in a kind of squat in the city Den Bosch (Netherlands) where I also lived. I then portrayed them and other residents of the building (see B&W picture) in the “common room” where I had hung an old blanket as a kind of background (improvised studio). Most of the residents were either addicted and / or had various mental issues!!

Eventually, the building was vacated and they lived in a small tent near the squat for a few more months while it was winter and quite cold! After that I only met them again after 5 years and then they lived in an apartment in another neighbourhood of the city, and there were also 2 children! I had asked them if I could visit them sometime with the camera and that was okay. The first time I got there, the eldest of the 2 boys (little Jack) said he was so hungry, it was a special and impressive visit (blueprint), and a few more would follow.

Jack & Christa were still heavy addicted (heroin / cocaine / methadone etc…) and were mostly busy with their addiction (scoring)! They loved the 2 boys but were totally incapable of raising them, a few weeks after my last visit they were moved out of the house by the police and child protection staff and placed with foster families. Hopefully they’re okay? After that, I lost contact with Jack & Christa and I don’t know if they’re still alive?

The 2 boys have made a rather unfavourable start, but hopefully it finally worked out? Their mother (as far as I know) gave birth to a total of 5 children while she was addicted from the age of 14! Jack was a social person and nice company (Christa also) and before he became addicted he had been with the special forces (commandos), but somewhere he had taken the “wrong turn”. But addicts can also love and be social, alone (probably) they better not reproduce!!   
 

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