Smetje

Mysohobia is the fear of germs and contamination. People who have it themselves often don’t fully understand it, let alone people who have no personal experience with it. Therefore, explaining mysophobia is a challenge, because how do you do that when it can be so difficult to describe in words what you are feeling, thinking and seeing?

In Smetje I visualize what having mysophobia means, by using comparisons, metaphors and personal stories of people who experience it. I make it understandable – for people who have it themselves, but also for the surrounding people who want to understand their loved ones better.

By mixing tactile and digital techniques such as dry point etching, Toyobo printing and risograph printing, the fears and the sensation of dirt become tangible. Experiencing the zine through the installation brings you even closer to the feelings that people with mysophobia face every day.