No One Left to Blame

INTRODUCTION
 
No One Left to Blame by Charlie Hay is an exploration of the haunting question, “Why?” — a question the artist has grappled with for over a decade following the suicide of a close friend.
 
The project delves deeply into themes of mental health, societal attitudes towards suicide, and the often-silent cries for help that go unnoticed. Hay’s work captures landscapes, sites, and environments across various locations worldwide where suicides have occurred, framing them as symbols of solitude and questioning rather than places of tragedy alone. By focusing on these seemingly ordinary locations imbued with profound emotions, he encourages reflection on the narratives surrounding mental health and seeks to challenge the pervasive stigma against discussing such topics openly.
 
The artist's journey began in his twenties, when his friend, only 21, took his own life—a traumatic event that ignited a relentless quest for answers. Later, the death of another close figure heightened this quest, pushing the artist to confront both the societal silence around suicide and his own sense of helplessness.
 
No One Left to Blame is a book about suicide, yet it recognizes that no two suicides are the same. In approaching such a theme, Hay does not seek definitive answers but instead offers an invitation to a more nuanced understanding—a chance to illuminate some of the darker corners in our collective psyche.
 
In this work, Hay keeps a careful balance of respect and inquiry, creating images that avoid explicit scenes, instead showing empty places charged with the weight of past events. By reframing these sites through his lens, he reveals a nuanced perspective on these locations, one that moves beyond their aesthetic appeal to explore the hidden stories they harbor.
 
 
ABOUT ARTIST
 
Charlie Hay (b.1987, Sandefjord) is an artist and activist with an International MFA from Trondheim Academy of Fine Art in Norway. His work often carries a political edge, sometimes infused a dark sense of humor. Covering topics ranging from suicide to rural politics and philosophical perspectives on life, he uses his camera to focus on pressing issues in society. 
 
Hay’s work has been shown both nationally and internationally, with solo shows at Kunstraum B in Kiel (Germany), the House of photography in Oslo (Norway), Anexet in Sveg (Sweden), Bergen Kjøtt in Berrgen (Norway) and Vasli Souza Gallery in Oslo (Norway). Since 2016, he has been a cofounder of Uncertain States Scandinavia, an art paper dedicated to lens-based art, which also curate festivals, gallery exhibitions and artist talks.
 
 
SPECIFICATIONS
 
Art Direction: Zhen SHI
Design: Ma Shirui @ typo_d
Text credit: © Charlie Hay © Vincent Stephen
ISBN: 978-2-9585094-3-9
Publication date: November 2024