In Like a Pearl in my Hand, Carina Hesper reveals a side of China that is mostly hidden from the outside world. Many parents in China give up their new-born child when they find out that it is visually impaired. This is a consequence of the one-child policy (formally changed to a two-child-policy in 2015) and the loss of face associated with having a child with a disability. Touched by these children’s fate, Carina visited different locations of the Bethel orphanage in Beijing, where she photographed children with a visual impairment.

Like a Pearl in my Hand is a multi-sensory experience encouraging social awareness. It is presented as a limited and signed edition box with 32 prints, all fully coated in black thermochromatic ink. This ink turns transparent around 20-25 degrees Celsius for instance by the warmth of a human hand. When touching the prints the underlying portraits are revealed.

In Like a Pearl in my Hand form and content are brought together in a unique and interactive way; the blind children, their concealment from society and the touch that is needed to see their portraits. The viewer experiences what it is like to be without sight and becomes actively involved in the fate of a group of vulnerable children.

Additional reflective notes by Bettine Vriesekoop and Hannes Wallrafen are presented in a separate inlay, both in Chinese and English.