Diane Hemingway: The Wild Cosmos

The photographs and recorded prose in The Wild Cosmos chronicle my interior journey through life and profound loss.

Even as an adult, nothing prepared me for when the stars–my mom, dad, and brother–fell from the sky. Seeking solace, I immersed myself in the land and in my art, trusting that my world would right itself. 

Looking for light in the darkness, I retraced the cross country trips of my youth and explored the backroads of Maine. I wanted to rekindle the wonder of my untethered childhood while remembering those I had lost. 

My sense of wonder comes from my spiritual, emotional and physical connection to the natural world. My parents loved the outdoors, and each summer, our family piled into the Suburban along with tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and our small collection of 8-track tapes. We’d wind our way across the country, from Maine to California, sleeping under the stars. 

Nature is a portal to survival. Much like the transcendentalists, I believe that it is essential to experience the simplicity and solitude of nature to really know what we are made of. I emerged resilient like the wild cosmos, a beautiful wildflower that can thrive in almost any circumstance. 

The images in The Wild Cosmos are grouped into categories from my experiences: loss, whimsy, wonder, and mysticism. I pair my photographs with audio versions of my writing loosely based on my journal of field notes and dreams. The installation will include sized mural prints and projections paired with audio accompaniments, which reconsider grief as a natural, wonder-filled experience.

Both my photography and my recorded prose are love letters to places, memories, dreams and family. Each is an invitation to pay attention.