Series description
Nowhere Land sheds light on the Lyme community in the United States. For a long time this community remained invisible to the public eye and endured mistreatment, yet according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) around 476,000 people in the United States are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually. Besides coping with their invisible symptoms, individuals with chronic Lyme disease often have to deal with the inability to work or attend school, isolation from family and friends, trauma from medical abuse and tremendous financial pressure, as the CDC does not acknowledge the existence of chronic Lyme. Countless chronic Lyme patients are dismissed and blamed, their pain invalidated and their suffering deemed to be in their heads. Through intimate narratives I aim to capture the silent suffering and emotional isolation endured by those living with this invisible and debilitating disease.
Biography
Jiatong Lu is a mixed-media artist and photographer based in New York. Born in 1988, she grew up in Northwest China and graduated with an MFA in Photography, Video, and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts. Her work primarily focuses on themes of trauma, family, and relationships, delving into the connections between individual experiences, societal culture, and policy influences.
Michelle
Michelle has been battling chronic Lyme disease for decades and now faces Lyme-related conditions such as mast cell disorder and kidney failure. She lives with her son, who is also afflicted with severe congenital Lyme disease, in a government apartment; due to their health, they cannot work. The serious mould problems in their apartment worsen their conditions.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Sun
Sun (9) was diagnosed with Lyme disease at the age of six, having inherited it from her parents. At birth she displayed facial asymmetry and at just four-months old she struggled with growth issues. Sun deals with severe sensory problems, excruciating leg and foot pain exacerbated by strep exposure, and eating challenges that required a feeding tube during infancy. She does not currently receive any medical treatments because medical care for Lyme disease is not covered by insurance and is beyond the family’s financial means.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Beau and Everett
Beau (12) was diagnosed with Lyme disease at the age of nine and now shows symptoms of Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), including tics, anxiety, depression, rage, OCD and sleep disorders. His brother, Everett (8), hasn’t received a Lyme diagnosis, but shows symptoms suggestive of the disease, as do his two younger siblings, aged six and three. Financial limitations and high treatment costs prevent the family from accessing proper care.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Nicholas
In 2011, multiple tick bites left Nicholas with acute Lyme disease symptoms and severe joint pain, impairing his ability to walk. Despite initial relief from antibiotics, the symptoms returned months later. Intravenous antibiotics helped briefly, but insurance denial halted further treatment, and as the illness progressed it left Nicholas physically and mentally debilitated. Unable to afford treatment, Nicholas faced homelessness, initially living in a tent and now in a bar without basic amenities.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Sue
Sue basks in the warm sunlight of her kitchen, anticipating her imminent move to her mother’s house, signifying the end of her second marriage in just ten days. Dealing with Lyme disease for decades, she faced disability following a delayed diagnosis in 2014, despite a tick bite in 1994. The illness has left her isolated, unsupported and unable to work due to persistent pain, depression, and anxiety.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Syd
Syd (24) surrounded by daily home treatment supplies. Syd faced sudden Tourette-like symptoms in 2015: body shaking, verbal outbursts and head swings. Initially misdiagnosed, Lyme disease was confirmed one year later. Despite brief progress with intravenous antibiotics, insurance halted coverage, leaving the $5,000 weekly cost unaffordable. Oral antibiotics led to vomiting, malnutrition and failed improvement; now, weight gain is her primary focus.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards
Buck
Buck has battled severe Lyme disease symptoms since 2018, and endured multiple misdiagnoses until he was correctly diagnosed a year later. Despite consulting specialists he faces debilitating chronic Lyme symptoms such as Bell’s Palsy, joint and muscle pain, numbness, tingling, vision issues and dizziness. These debilitating symptoms compelled him to relinquish his cherished career as a filmmaker.
© Jiatong Lu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2024 Sony World Photography Awards