COULD this be the most stressful time in modern history to be a teenager in the western world?

Social media lurking overhead like a giant bully, shallow influencers influencing, the cost of a home looming on the horizon, and simmering away in the background, global conflict and climate change.

This grim list is explored in the new Freo exhibition Anthropocene, “an epoch that recognises the overwhelming impact humanity has had on our planet.”

• Some of the great photos by Carine Thevenau in The Anthropocene.

Featuring hand-coloured photos of 13-year-olds and accompanying interviews, the exhibition by Carine Thevenau is a fascinating dive into the psyche of young WA teens in 2026.

The original photos were black-and-white, but Thevenau hand-painted them with watercolours, given the portraits a slightly dreamy and ephemeral quality.

The hand-colouring technique emerged in the late 19th century and photography started during the early days of the Industrial Revolution.

Thevenau cleverly draws a parallel between this and the “Fourth Industrial Revolution, whereby artificial intelligence is able to construct and manipulate photographic projections of ourselves.”

An artist, photographer and educator, Thevenau likes to explore social and cultural identity through portraiture.

She has a Master of Fine Art Degree (Major in Photomedia) from the University of NSW, has held numerous solo shows, and exhibited her first co-published photobook at the Tokyo Art Book Fair.

The Anthropocene is at Moore Street Art Space, 46 Henry St, Fremantle until April 19. 

by STEPHEN POLLOCK