Frida Lisa Carstensen Jersø

Frida Forever is a photographic project that explores life with chronic illness in contrast to the freedom of youth. Combining self-portraits and spontaneous snapshots, the book unfolds as a raw yet playful visual narrative.

In 2012, Frida Lisa Carstensen Jersø suffered a spinal injury after a fall, leaving her paraplegic. Years later, she was diagnosed with a rare cellular condition, resulting in extensive medical treatment and more than one hundred surgeries. She has since spent much of her adult life in hospitals.

During this time, she has continuously photographed herself, the hospital environment, and her surroundings. These intimate and vulnerable images are juxtaposed with moments of youth, desire, and movement, creating a tension between restriction and freedom. The work reflects on the instability of the healthy body and the shifting conditions of life.

At its core, Frida Forever is a personal yet critical exploration of the sick body as both fragile and capable, offering insight into the complexity of being young, ill, and alive at the same time.