The Art of Loss: a Spotlight on Art about Grief
Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell
“Partings are strange. It seems so simple: one minute ago, four, five, he was here, at her side; now, he is gone.”
Maggie O’Farrell reimagines the lives of Shakespeare’s family after the heartbreaking death of their young son. Centered on his wife Agnes, this novel recounts how one child’s life and death echoes across art, memory, and time. Through evocative language and achingly beautiful prose, Hamnet explores the experience of motherhood, the power of artistic expression, and the way grief reshapes our lives, relationships, and understanding of ourselves.
There’s also a film adaptation directed by Chole Zhao, starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.
Psychopomp, Japanese Breakfast
“I’m trying to believe that when I sleep it’s really you visiting my dreams like they say the angels do.”
Written in the midst of her mother’s terminal cancer diagnosis, Michelle Zauner’s indie-pop album explores grief in a way that’s neither tidy nor resolved, just deeply human. While some songs are explicitly about her mother, most are about other relationships and experiences. In that way, the record replicates what it feels like to navigate loss while still moving through everyday life.
Zauner’s memoir, Crying In H Mart, is a great companion to this album. In it, she writes in greater detail about her grief, complex relationship with her mother, and Korean American identity.
Volunteers Needed!
Camp Widow is coming to Seattle on April 18th! And this year, we’re partnering with Soaring Spirits to host Camp Widow Kids, a unique, one-day experience for kids ages 5-17 who are accompanying a registered Camp Widow participant.
We’re looking for day-of volunteers to provide on-site support to our staff and campers! Volunteers must successfully complete a background check and 90-minute self-guided orientation.
For info about volunteering, contact us here.
Interested in attending Camp Widow?