Literature Review

KCAD grad Brianna L. Hernández explores intersection of art, death, and grief through prestigious Hyperallergic curatorial fellowship Ferris State University, Grand Rapids, MI; 6/25/24 As Brianna L. Hernández grieved the loss of her mother, she understood she was not alone in the experience and her thoughts turned to helping others. Her work to share the experience has earned recognition. Hernández, a 2016 graduate of the Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, was one of five people selected for the prestigious 2024 Emily H. Tremaine Journalism Fellowship for Curators ...  Every year, the fellowship offers five curators $5,000 to support their research while developing their journalistic skills. ... [Experiencing her mother's death] profoundly shifted her work toward a focus on death, and the living who are left behind to cope with loss. “As she was dying and right after she died, I knew I needed to make work about it for my own healing, but I also knew that my situation was not unique,” Hernández said. “I felt like it was of both artistic and social importance to put that out there in a way that hasn't been addressed.”

'The Grief Lady:' NC woman uses mother's funeral flowers to create art, help others heal WRAL News, Raleigh, NC; by Heather Leah; 4/18/24 Grief is a journey--and you never know for sure where it'll take you. When Janet Willis' mom passed away from small cell lung cancer in her 70s, Willis said she felt like she lost more than a mother; she lost a piece of herself. The loss launched her on a 100 day journey, creating art with the dried flower petals saved from her mother's funeral and sharing her grief experience with her followers. Each day she created a new piece of art – and each day it's as much a surprise for her as it is for her viewers. Editor's Note: Click on the title's link to view photos and read more of this inspiring story.