HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Everyone has something or some place that brings them comfort. It can be a park, a bedroom or even an object.
The Hutchinson Art Center, along with BrightHouse and photographer Dave McKane, will launch a special exhibit Nov. 21 that will show the photographs of those spaces from the eyes of victims of domestic or sexual violence. The idea came from local photographer Dave McKane, who approached BrightHouse with the proposal.
“The idea was to bring a sense of art into our domestic violence and sexual assault group as a way of empowering and having a creative outlet,” Director of Advocacy Nikki Burkhart said.
But the photos needed a place to go, so they approached the art center. Director Patrick Calvillo said it was an easy decision to make.
“They approached me and I was all for it,” Calvillo said. “I think this is just bringing more awareness to BrightHouse and all of the great things that they do.”
Not only can the photography be a great healing tool, but Calvillo says it can become more than that in the future.
“With the help of Dave McKane to give them tutor sessions of photography and implementing that world of media to them, they can start here and grow from here,” Calvillo noted. “They can get into different art outlets that can help them in the future.”
Burkhart says the photography has helped the healing process, noting that the photos vary widely from past memories to favorite objects. She says it is all part of the healing process.
“Survivors of trauma, of domestic violence and sexual assault, they find safety the same everybody else does, it just takes longer to get there,” Burkhart said. “Being able to have a creative outlet and being able to search within your mind and be able to bring those safety nets to the forefront of your brain helps tremendously with trying to recover from that trauma.”
The exhibit will open during Third Thursday with the event starting at 5:30 p.m. and the launch of the exhibit at 6:30 p.m. A silent auction of the images that will be on display will follow at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the auction can either be kept by the artist or donated to BrightHouse.