Unfinished Business: An Exploration of Grief / Alice Christine Walker

Tuesday, March 1, 2022 5:00 PM 17:00
Saturday, April 2, 2022 4:00 PM 16:00

Blackfish Gallery Portland, OR (map)

Google Calendar ICS

Exhibition statement:

The world would go on, but for us it would never be the same.

The experience of losing my father to incurable cancer changed my life. I began to question our societal image of loss and grief, how that hinders our own grieving process, and how it affects the way we can express it. I was awakened to our culture’s denial of death and our abandonment of the bereaved to a kind of solitary confinement. Grief has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural and spiritual dimensions that are so often overlooked, leaving the griever to manage it alone.

In the midst of my own loss, I harnessed photography and self-portraiture as tools to explore the universality of grief. Although grief is typically associated with death, the emotion is also experienced with other types of loss that affect us all regardless of age, race or gender. Through my exploration, I learned that grief can be beautiful and transformative, that it should be honored and used as a tool in itself to mend.  

Much like grief, this body of work is multifaceted, consisting of photographic images, video and installation. Designed to be inclusive of all comfort levels, the exhibition offers a range of interactions, from the passive observation of art to active engagement with others in grief sessions hosted by Charmaine Kachibaia, founder of Befriend the End. Charmaine is a certified Death Doula, much like a midwife, trained to care holistically for people at the end of life. During the last weekend of the exhibition, there will be an immersive theater activity providing a multi-sensory experience for those wanting to engage with their own healing process.

The goal of these works is not to dwell in my own loss but, through my vulnerability, to empower us to have broader conversations about grief. The essence of the show is rooted in advocacy and community to provide participants with information, resources and tools so that we all can find belonging, support and connection.

Artist Bio:

Alice Christine Walker (b. 1984) is a visual artist and photographer who can regularly be found behind a 1950’s Rolleiflex or inside a vintage Fotoautomat. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development from the Metropolitan State University of Denver before settling in Portland, Oregon, in 2008. She is an original member of The Portland Darkroom, artist/owner of Blackfish Gallery and creator/host of The Artist Union, a critique group mentoring emerging analog photographers. Alice is known for her candid street photography, a collection of black-and-white and color images shot on medium format film. Her work has won several awards and has been exhibited both in museums and galleries worldwide and in online magazines such as She Shoots Film and Analog Forever. Images from her series “Nostalgia” have been published in All About Photos, The Analog Club and received an Honorable Mention in Life Framer’s Series Award.

Event Information:

Opening Reception: First Thursday, March 3, 2022 @ 5:00 pm on Facebook Live. In-person reception at 5 - 8 pm at Blackfish Gallery (masks required).

Artist Talk: Saturday March 12, 2022 @ 1:00 pm in-person at Blackfish Gallery (masks required). View after at www.alicechristinewalker.com

Spring Equinox/Ostara: Led by Mary Wagstaff, Sunday March 20, 2022 @ 1:00 pm. In-person at Blackfish Gallery (masks required) and via Zoom. To register email alicechristinewalker@gmail.com

Community Grief Ritual: Led by Charmaine Kachibaia, Saturday, March 26, 2022 @ 5:00 pm. In-person at Blackfish Gallery (masks required). To register email alicechristinewalker@gmail.com

Sacred Grief Circle: Led by Charmaine Kachibaia, Sunday, March 27, 2022 @ 12:00 pm. In-person at Blackfish Gallery (masks required). To register email alicechristinewalker@gmail.com

Immersive Theater Experience: Friday, March 25, 2022 & Sunday March 27, 2022 first ticket starting at 5:30 pm. In-person at Blackfish Gallery (masks required) with limited timed tickets. Reserve your time at www.alicechristinewalker.com