Prosperity
In Dennis's home, a plant decorated with notes and coins stands as a symbol of hope for better fortune. In Ditte's garden, a rose grows from the trunk of a tree, appearing to defy nature's rules. These images became visual anchors for this series, reflecting resilience, hope, and the possibility that life can grow in unexpected places.
Prosperity follows the lives of Dennis, his wife Swindey, and the daughter Asmina, along with Ditte, whose experiences of debt were documented in the television series Schuldig by Ester Gould & Sarah Sylbing Coming from different backgrounds and circumstances, they each faced years of financial hardship and uncertainty. Yet their journeys reveal something beyond debt.
After their stories became visible through the documentary, people responded. Customers returned to Dennis's struggling business.
Neighbors, friends, and strangers offered support. Acts of care, both small and significant, helped create possibilities that institutions alone could not provide.
This series explores the relationship between individual resilience and collective support. It reflects how communities can sustain people when systems designed to manage debt fall short of restoring dignity and stability. Through portraits and everyday spaces, the work considers what becomes possible when people choose to see, understand, and support one another.
Rather than defining prosperity through wealth, this project proposes a different understanding: prosperity as hope, belonging, and the ability to imagine a future again.
