As a part of last week’s Creators in Conversation event with Anxy, we showcased an exhibit by Bay Area artist Azha Ayanna Luckman in the new Micro Gallery at VSCO HQ. Featuring her recent body of work, titled Escape, the exhibit invited local creators to connect with Azha’s story about grief, pain, and losing a loved one to gun violence. Azha also joined the event’s panel of speakers, where she discussed her experience with creative anxiety and encouraged attendees to keep making.
Take a look at photos from Azha’s Micro Gallery exhibit, along with her artist bio and an overview of Escape.
About the artist
As an artist and curator, Azha's creative practice focuses on escapism and identity, prioritizing accessibility through photography, installation, curated experiences, and digital media. Luckman currently runs her online content platform — Shade — and freelances full-time.
About the exhibit
Escape is Azha’s effort at processing the loss of a loved one, while traveling between Southern California and the Bay Area. The photographs are a diary of the artist’s post-traumatic state of being — a record of reflection, process, and healing. Acknowledging and confronting grief within the human psyche is experienced in a myriad of ways, including denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It is a traumatic experience no one would wish on another, and when you lose someone close to you through gun violence, you are immediately met with a heavy emotional response.
Escape by Azha Ayanna Luckman is open for viewings Thursday afternoons from 1pm-5pm through April 26th, 2018 at the Micro Gallery located at VSCO HQ.
Follow Azha on VSCO to see more of her personal work.