Projecting Grief

Projecting Grief exhibition tells the stories of people finding comfort, distraction or hope in a creative pursuit after losing someone.

Projecting Grief is a brand new photography exhibition exploring the relationship between loss, creativity and healing.

The project is a collaboration between photographer Jo Ritchie and writer Laura McDonagh, who both have personal experience of losing someone close to them. Together, they photograph and interview people with a wide range of creative practices which they used as a distraction, relief or an expression after loss.

From rocking horse makers to musicians, and podcasters to poets, this exhibition uses peoples’ stories to show that medicine isn’t always about health and recovery, but about loss too.

Thackray has commissioned four new stories from in and around the East Leeds area and Leeds’ medical community.

There will also be an opportunity to take part in free creative workshops centred around grief. Details to be announced soon.

About Projecting Grief

Projecting Grief is an online gallery exploring the relationship between loss, creativity and healing. From comedy to collaging, these stories are documented by photographer Jo Ritchie and writer Laura McDonagh.

Jo started the project after her brother, Jack, died by gambling-related suicide. After Jack’s death, she felt drawn to take photographs of people who were using a creative outlet for relief after being bereaved. Laura, whose mother Anne died suddenly in 2019, joined the project as interviewer and writer to add context to the portraits.

“There was a point where I couldn’t imagine picking up my camera again,” said photographer Jo Ritchie. “But I found it fascinating and uplifting when I discovered people using their creativity to help them cope.”

“There’s still a huge taboo surrounding death and dying, but we hope our project illustrates that there’s comfort to be found in sharing stories and doing something creative. These images and stories are a tribute to hope and to human resilience.”