projecting grief

by Photographer Jo Ritchie & Writer Laura McDonagh.

Can grief be a catalyst for creativity? From comedy to collaging and sewing to singing,

Projecting Grief tells the stories of people finding comfort, distraction and hope in a creative pursuit after losing someone they love.

Projecting Grief, a portraiture and storytelling project, is the work of photographer Jo Ritchie and writer Laura McDonagh. Jo started the project after her brother, Jack, died by suicide in 2017. After Jack’s death, Jo looked for others who had found comfort in creativity and wanted to document their stories. Laura, whose mother Anne died suddenly in 2019, joined the project as interviewer and writer to add context to the portraits. 

Projecting Grief exists as an online gallery of photographic portraits and personal interviews celebrating human resilience.

Projecting Grief