You Have Nothing to Worry About Exhibition

Hi, my name is Melissa Spitz, and this fundraiser supports an upcoming exhibition of photographs and new sculptural installations from the series You Have Nothing to Worry About. The exhibition will open at Heiress Gallery in St. Petersburg, FL this November the 17th and run through December 2023.

This is my first attempt at crowdfunding, and I deeply appreciate your consideration and time.

Fundraiser donations will be used to support the production of new works (new framed prints and sculptures) and for transporting framed pieces, ephemera and objects to and from NY to FL and back. (I’ll be driving them myself)

For those new here, Hi! I am a working artist from St. Louis, Missouri who currently resides in New York City. Since 2009 I have been making photographs of my mentally ill, over-prescribed, substance abusing mother. In 2014 after finishing my MFA program at the Savannah College of Art and Design I decided to put this project on Instagram. As an added component I was able to share lengthy diary like entries with each image, as well as different forms of media i.e. archival scans, poems written by my mom and videos. Myself and the account were recognized by Time Magazine as Instagram Photographer of the Year in 2017. Below are some images from my most recent installation at SPRINGBREAK art fair 2020.

The work in exhibition form addresses themes of mental health, drug addiction, prescription pill epidemics, and familial and personal relationships. In my sincere opinion, I believe what makes this series successful is its ability to level the playing field, allowing a community to grow out of brutal honesty and vulnerability. The project and its continued exposure help create a vocabulary around mental health and drug addiction.

Any amount is truly appreciated. I am excited to have an opportunity to share this work again. Thank you.

You have nothing to worry about. – Melissa ❤️

SOME FINE PRINT

DONATED FUNDS WILL GO TO

TRANSPORTING ARTWORK TO FLORIDA AND BACK TO NEW YORK

PRODUCTION OF THREE NEW SCULPTURAL PIECES

PRODUCTION OF NEW PRINTS AND NEW FRAMES

Instagram

Website

Artist Statement

TEDx Talk

HEIRESS is a contemporary gallery and art advisory in Southwest Florida focused on curating innovative emerging and mid-career artists. Our mission is centered around creating a program that promotes artist equity and contributes to the larger community of artists and collectors.

The gallery programming is dedicated to showing work from international and regional artists.

HEIRESS’ commitment to artist equity has manifested in the collaborative form of a Commonwealth for our artists. Throughout our exhibition season we also provide a series of community-based events and are working on an up and coming educational program as well.