Rochester, NY

November 5, 2020 - Feb. 21, 2021
RIT’s City Art Space
280 East Main Street
Sibley Tower, First Floor
Rochester, New York

Gallery hours: Open Thursday – Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 pm.
Face masks required. Gallery capacity limit due to Covid-19 precautions.

Thursday, Nov. 5: Evan Dawson, host of WXXI’s Connections radio program, interviewed exhibition curators, Susan Stellin and Graham MacIndoe, and contributors Chris Pridmore and Cheyenne Boone about depictions of addiction and recovery in news media and art. If you missed the show, you can listen to a recording of the interview at WXXI’s site.

Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6:00 pm: Zoom panel discussion
Exhibition curators Susan Stellin and Graham MacIndoe and contributors Josh Meltzer and Nina Berman and her collaborator Kimberly Stevens discussed photography and storytelling about addiction and recovery. Click here to watch a recording of the webinar.

EXHIBITION OVERVIEW

There are millions of people in the U.S. who have successfully resolved a problem with drugs or alcohol, but we rarely see or hear their stories compared to depictions of addiction in media, art, music, and film. Although not everyone identifies as being in recovery, and many people can’t publicly acknowledge their past because of stigma or the consequences of admitting illegal drug use, a growing movement is working to offer examples of success and hope to those still struggling with addiction.

The goal of this exhibit is not just to show that recovery is possible, but also to highlight some of the ways people have rebuilt their lives: reconnecting with their families, finding work and stable housing, and developing meaningful relationships with partners, peers, and others who offer support. It also features some of the treatment providers and harm reduction services that many people rely on, often at times when they feel isolated and overwhelmed. Recovery is rarely a solo journey and it sometimes involves setbacks and hurdles, but the more we talk about it, share ideas, and embrace different paths, the more people will find their way.

Beyond Addiction: Reframing Recovery debuted at the Aronson Galleries in New York City in 2019 was on view at RIT’s City Art Space in downtown Rochester from November 2020 through February 2021.

CURATED BY GRAHAM MACINDOE AND SUSAN STELLIN

Graham MacIndoe, MFA is a photographer and part-time associate professor at Parsons and Susan Stellin, MPH is a writer, researcher, and adjunct professor in the Journalism + Design department at The New School in New York City. They have collaborated on various projects combining interviews and photography, including exhibitions, talks, and a memoir documenting Graham’s addiction, incarceration, and recovery.

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Graham MacIndoe and Susan Stellin: Re-Entry & Recovery
Portraits and interviews with people navigating life after addiction and involvement with the criminal justice system, from a larger series documenting stories of recovery.

Nina Berman: An autobiography of Miss Wish
A multi-dimensional collaborative work focusing on the story of one woman and the intersection of sexual trauma, mental illness, addiction, and recovery.

Cheyenne Boone: Taste of Life
A series examining the transitional and vulnerable period of time during recovery from addiction, as well as its impact on family members and relationship dynamics.

Michael Dillow: Getting Better
An intimate portrayal of those in early recovery and the ways for-profit treatment providers and sober living residences have blended into South Florida’s transient landscape.

Yannick Fornacciari: Heroin Days
Images and text juxtaposing Yannick's first day on methadone with how he felt after a year of treatment.

Tony Fouhse: Live Through This
A series of photos of a young woman Tony met who asked for help getting into a rehabilitation program, which enabled her to escape life on the street.

Graham MacIndoe: Illinois Addiction Studies Archive
Photographs of artifacts, books, and memorabilia documenting the history of addiction treatment in America, many donated by research scientist William L. White.

Josh Meltzer: Dopesick—Agents of Change
Portraits of treatment providers, healthcare workers, activists, and counselors shot for Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America, by Beth Macy 

Neil Sneddon: Developing Recovery
Photos taken by clients Neil asked to document the people, places, and things they identified as meaningful for their recovery. 

Raymond Waters: Transformation
An exploration of portrayals of addiction using cut up 35-millimeter frames from four films that touch on this subject: Traffic, Trainspotting, Requiem for a Dream, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Reframing Recovery in Rochester

RIT’s Center for Engaged Storycraft invited exhibition curators Susan Stellin and Graham MacIndoe to teach a workshop on Storytelling About Addiction and Recovery, which was open to students and members of the community. One wall of the City Art Space exhibition includes photos and writing that grew out of that workshop, the topics we discussed, and the connections that were made among the participants. Our emphasis is on collaborative storytelling, and though these stories only highlight some of the people and organizations addressing addiction, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery in Rochester, they illustrate what can be achieved by working together and supporting each other.

Rochester Workshop Participants and Contributors: ­­­­­­­­­­Vincent Alban, Zach Barnes, Noah Bogusz, Cheyenne Boone, Ben Braun, Justin Chaize, Danielle, DeVries, Samantha Engebrecht, ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Stephanie Forrester, Beza Girma, Stephanie Hagberg, Riley Hayden, Jordan Himes, Alex Iglesias, Yana Khashper, Mattie Neretin, Heather Newton, Deborah Pierce, Erin Pownall Burns, Chris Pridmore, ­­­­­­­­­­Anna Rhody, Jaiden Tripi, Emma Truscott, and Marili Vaca.

Thanks to: Laura Shackelford and RIT’s Center for Engaged Storycraft, the participants in the Storytelling About Addiction and Recovery workshop, Josh Meltzer and the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at RIT, John Aasp at City Art Space, Heather Newton at NAMI Rochester, The New School, Luke Hayman and Elyanna Blaser-Gould at Pentagram Design, Hashem Eaddy at Parsons, and everyone who worked with the artists and shared their stories.

Email the curators with questions or inquiries about bringing Reframing Recovery to your community.