Heather Evans Smith - BLUE
heather evans smith - BLUE
May 22- August 14 2022
We are incredibly honored to be premiering this powerful and potent new body of work at Cassilhaus.
Blue
Some say my dad's death was the spark that ignited my depression, but this feeling has been brewing for a while. I started to notice a sadness creep in a few years into my 40s. I searched “depression in women” and stumbled across articles stating women are the most depressed at age 44. I was, at that very moment, 44.
Loss during this time in a woman’s life can weigh heavily. Children are getting older and need the comfort of a parent less; the health of one’s own parent(s) is starting to fail, and hormonal shifts begin.
By using the color blue, which for hundreds of years has been associated with melancholy and sadness-these images evoke this period in my life and how it affects those around me. A mid-point, as I am stripping down, taking stock, and finding a new place amongst the loss.
Heather Evans Smith 2021
It confronted me. This work.
I’m certainly no stranger to beautiful photographs, or images that touch a nerve. But this was a new level of vulnerability and a new benchmark for beauty.
And then, a gut punch. Or two.
When Kris Kristofferson heard Joni Mitchell’s Blue album for the first time, he exclaimed, “Jesus Joni. Leave something for yourself.” With her Blue photo series, Heather Evans Smith hasn’t left much off the table either.
I first saw Heather’s new Blue work, an arresting series of portraits of herself and her daughter in the palette of melancholy, on Instagram, and within days contacted her to ask if I could be the first to show the series at Cassilhaus.
“I know, I know- a 63-year old man doesn’t immediately leap to mind as a collaborator on a photo exhibition about depression in women in their 40s. BUT hear me out…”
I shared my history of being enveloped as a young child in my mother’s fierce battle with depression which came on in her 40s. While I have mercifully dodged the worst of that bullet myself, few things have impacted me more than this fight she fought so bravely. This work felt really important to me, and I felt like I was supposed to pay attention and do something with it. Heather listened patiently and politely to my ramblings and simply said, “Let’s do this.”
Yes, the work is laden. And potent. And intense. And for some, I’m sure, too close to home. But so much work about depression is about the darkness. Smith’s Blue is about “finding a new place amongst the loss.” Heather lays herself bare for others who suffer and for people who love those who suffer. What you carry away, however, is not despair but affirmation, empathy, recognition, and yes, BEAUTY. These photographs are stunningly beautiful and bravely original.
The first hints for me that we weren’t in Kansas anymore were the titles. Laser focused punches. How does she cram everything into a single word?
Stain.
Legacy.
Veneer.
Vessel.
Soak.
Timekeeper.
Boundary.
One-word memoirs. The invisible made visible. Stain and Legacy, for example, confront the persistent fear of passing that genetic time bomb to the next in line. The love expressed in those perfect gestures is palpable and the courage to produce this work inspires. Both images remind me of the purity of a Richard Learoyd portrait. They are luminous.
Take your time with this work. It doesn’t stop giving. My thanks to Christina, James, Cici, and Ellen for making this show a reality. I am grateful beyond words to Heather for trusting me with this precious cargo. And to Franny for showing me there was life on the other side.
Frank Konhaus
May 2022
FINE ART PRINTS
Images from this exhibition are available for sale as signed limited edition fine art photographic prints in various sizes. Cassilhaus is a zero commission gallery and 100% of print sales proceeds go directly to the artist. Supporting artists in both tangible and intangible ways is central to our mission at Cassilhaus and living with original art in your home is one of life’s great joys. Pricing information is available here. Please inquire if you have questions.
upcoming Events
Book Signing and Straggler’s Closing – Thursday, August 11, 2022, 7-9PM
past events
Exhibition Opening – Sunday May 22, 2022
Viewing for Therapeutic and Mental Health Professionals – July 29, 2022, 2-4:30PM
MASKS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS AT THIS EVENT.
Read more here. RSVP to bluetherapyforum@cassilhaus.com
Artist Talk with Heather Evans Smith – June 5, 2022
Private appointments for individuals, schools, or other groups upon request. Please email frank@cassilhaus.com.