Sasha Shalmina: The Colour of Grief
Glasgow artist Sasha Shalmina's deeply personal solo exhibition The Colour of Grief, at New Glasgow Society, explores loss, healing and legacy.
About Sasha Shalmina: The Colour of Grief
When her father died suddenly in 2022, Glasgow-based artist Sasha Shalmina found that brief moments of peace in her grief journey could be explored through creativity, and that her art helped her connect with her father's memory and artistic legacy.
The deeply personal work that followed has led to The Colour of Grief - a new solo exhibition from the 37 year old artist that will go on display as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival.
The exhibition moves from turbulent, digital works into quieter, hand painted canvases with a different colour palette, reflecting a journey from despair to acceptance. There is also some supporting video material that sheds light onto the artist’s journey.
The Colour of Grief launches on Friday 10 October, which is also World Mental Health Day, with an opening reception from 6-8pm. The free exhibition, held at New Glasgow Society, 1307 Argyle Street, Glasgow, will then run until Sunday 19 October.
Sharing her experience of grief and how the exhibition developed, Sasha said: “My father, Ivan, was a renowned Moscow-based architect and classically trained artist, with two of his works held in MoMA’s permanent collection. In the final years of his life, he created large-scale digital abstract paintings for the interiors of his architectural projects and I enjoyed collaborating with him on different shows across Europe, including; London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We even had a show planned for this year in Manhattan.”
“When he died unexpectedly of a heart attack I was unable to process the loss, I kept reaching for my phone, expecting a new message from him with a new painting attached. But there were none. The silence was unbearable.”
“I began painting the pictures he wasn’t sending me anymore. But instead of colour, they came out black and white. Lifeless. As though the images themselves were grieving too. I used his style and techniques, but the energy had shifted. I was painting my own sorrow. Eventually, I began to create works that blended both worlds - colour and darkness, joy and sorrow, chaos and stillness.”
“If you’ve ever lost someone, or simply wondered what grief might look like — raw, layered, and, at times, even hopeful - I hope you’ll come. This exhibition is for anyone who has lived through loss, who has felt broken and remade, who is trying to find colour again.”
“This exhibition is not just a tribute to my father. It’s also a fundraiser for Cruse Scotland – a charity that provides free and vital bereavement support to children, young people and adults who are struggling to cope with their grief. I’m delighted to donate 50% of all proceeds from the exhibition to the charity.”
Fiona Arnott-Barron, Cruse Scotland Chief Executive, said: “Grief is a deeply personal experience, a journey no two people navigate in the same way. For some, it may be exercise or time with friends that can help them cope better; for others, creative expression through music, journalling, or, as Sasha has shown us so beautifully, through art.”
“We’re so very grateful to Sasha, not only for raising awareness of the challenges grief brings after the loss of someone close, but also for her generosity in fundraising for Cruse Scotland. Her support will ensure that those who are struggling do not have to face grief alone.”
If you need support with your grief, no matter how recent or long ago the death occurred, or your relationship to them, you can find the support that’s right for you at www.crusescotland.org.uk
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