An Open Secret – Teresa Caralampio

A visual scream that breaks the silence of sexual abuse and gives visibility to the trauma survivors live with.

An Open Secret is a self-initiated project born from urgency. From the need to speak after years of silence. From the need to break the taboo surrounding sexual abuse and rape, and to challenge the shame placed on survivors. Above all, it was born to give voice to those of us who have lived through it, and to those who still cannot speak.

This exhibition does not aim to provoke for the sake of impact. Instead, it opens a quiet and powerful space. A space for truth, for vulnerability, and emotional reality. Through photography, design and personal reflection, it gives form to what is usually hidden — the emotional aftermath that remains long after the event itself.

At the heart of the exhibition is the book. It is a testimony, a process and a scream. Around it, selected portraits and fragments of the making offer a behind-the-scenes view into moments of trust, fear, courage and healing. Every image was created through a real connection, with care and consent.

What began as an academic project soon became something deeply personal. After years of therapy, reflection and fear, I realised I no longer wanted to carry this truth in silence. I needed to speak. And through photography, I found a way to do it. A way to turn pain into something that could be seen, held and shared.

As a visual communicator and a woman, this work reflects my journey but also echoes the experiences of many others. Throughout this process, I have found community, recognition and healing in ways I never expected. Art became the language I needed when words failed me. It helped me reconnect with myself, and I hope it helps others do the same.

Together, we began to heal wounds. Through the lens, we created something that felt almost sacred. A visual scream that, though silent, carries weight. It speaks of pain, yes, but also of strength, empathy and light.

An Open Secret is not the end. It is a beginning. A beginning of healing, of conversation and visibility. For me, and I hope, for many more.

Teresa Caralampio Iniesta is a Spanish artist and designer from Madrid, currently based in Edinburgh. Her practice spans design, photography and visual storytelling, always rooted in emotional depth and human connection.

She began her creative journey studying Fashion Design at IADE in Madrid, where she discovered a passion for visual language. During her studies, a graphic design module sparked her interest in composition, communication and the power of imagery. This interest led her to further explore UX design and eventually specialise in Visual Communication.

She recently graduated with a BA Honours in Visual Communication from Kingston University. In this final year, photography — once a hobby — became a tool for expression. After years of therapy and personal growth, she found behind the lens a way to speak, to feel and to connect.

While living in Edinburgh, she worked as a photographer and content creator for local businesses, where she strengthened her relationship with photography as a medium that is both honest and emotive. These experiences helped her build confidence and embrace visual storytelling as a powerful form of communication.

Her final major project, An Open Secret, marked a turning point in her practice. A deeply intimate work where photography, design and emotion come together to speak about trauma, voice and healing. The process allowed her not only to reconnect with herself but also to create something collective, a visual space where many women could feel seen.

Her work is quiet but powerful. It does not seek spectacle but truth. Honest spaces where one can witness, feel or be. She believes in the power of art to heal and raise awareness and continues to explore ways for design and humanity to move together.