Photography exhibit in Thunder Bay, Ont., encourages people to use art to express their grief

Donna Jeanpierre says her late mother's Christmas cactus reminds her to appreciate life's little beauties.

"At the end of her life – actually for the last few years of her life – her world had gotten pretty small. By the time you reach 90, a lot of your family and friends are no longer here," Jeanpierre said of her mother.

"But something that brought her a lot of joy was every time her Christmas cactus would bloom."

Jennpierre is the executive director of Hospice Northwest Services in Thunder Bay, Ont.. She took a photo of her mother's favourite plant and submitted it to the non-profit organization's third annual photography exhibit, "A Personal Lens on Grief."

The photographs are displayed in the hallway leading up to the office, illuminated by artificial candles and fairy lights. Below them are descriptions of the meaning behind the images.

"It really reflects a wide range of people in their grief journeys, different people's different losses," said Jeanpierre.

The idea for the project came from Hospice Northwest Services facilitators Claudia Otto and Diana Prairie, who wanted to give people a creative outlet to express their grief and honour their loved ones.

"We've even heard from people that move through the exhibit, just observing them, how it actually has that personal impact," Jeanpierre said. "Even though it's not their own picture and story, they've learned something or been touched in some way just by looking at all of them."

'It's hard to put words to grief'

Sophie Kuhn, acting grief program co-ordinator, submitted a photograph of her standing on the shores of Lake Superior. To her, the waves represent the weight of losing her grandfather and aunt, but also the joys of being alive.

"Sometimes, it's hard to put words to grief. But then when you [take] a photograph, it gives you a little bit of a different opportunity, a different perspective to look and say, 'this is what it looks like to me,'" Kuhn said.

"Every kind of story really resonates and shows how the experiences are so unique – but also a lot of times, there is a universality to it."

The exhibit also features self-care items — including notebooks, water bottles and tobacco ties — to encourage people to look after themselves. At the end of the hallway, people are invited to post notes of what the project means to them on a reflection wall.

Kuhn said there's a lot of stigma when it comes to talking about grief, so she hopes projects like these help eliminate those barriers and normalize having heavy conversations.

"It affects everyone; in the past and in the future, everyone will experience grief, so that's been a really big learning moment for me as well," she said.

The project was supported by Lakehead Printing and Sargent and Son Funeral Chapel. There were 19 submissions this year, and Kuhn said people have already expressed interest in participating in the next exhibit.

Hospice Northwest Services offers a range of services for people who have experienced a loss, including regular workshops, support groups, one-on-one sessions with volunteers and grief counsellors, and a special group for those 55 and older, said Kuhn.

"Unprocessed grief can really start to manifest in some unhealthy ways if you don't process it in some way," Jeanpierre said. "We do appreciate having the exhibit here so people can come through, and if they do need to talk immediately to someone, we can certainly do that." 

The public can view the display at Hospice Northwest Services' office during its operating hours until the end of November.