Jay Ritchie's installation somewhere with me (2017-2022) consists of three parts - a book with texts by Ritchie, slightly transparent textiles with black and white landscape images and photographic self-portraits and body images. The focus is on dealing with one's own experiences of sexualised violence and the visible and invisible traces they leave on and in the body, which can shape the everyday life, thoughts and actions of those affected even years later. Like the photographs, the texts in the book are not documentary in nature, but deal with dreams, fantasies, memories, but also the harsh reality, including the consequences and inscriptions of the experiences. The photographic works and texts are direct and can sometimes be irritating or disturbing, but they are also poetic thoughts. They make clear the complexity of dealing with sexualised assaults. On the one hand, the body is the carrier of the trauma, but at the same time it is also the medium for coming to terms with, healing and processing. It is vulnerable and resilient at the same time.

The book as an exhibition object cannot be purchased or taken away. In the exhibition space, visitors decide for themselves how much they want to see, read and thus experience. In this way, Jay Ritchie creates a self-determined space for action for himself and the audience. It is an invitation for an intensive confrontation with the consequences of sexualised violence, whereby closing it allows an immediate distancing from the topic and Jay Ritchie's experiences.

• Sylvia Sadzinski