Sally Smoker

The artist’s grandmother, a figure of apparent permanence often likened to having nine lives, passed away in November 2024 following a diagnosis of Stage 4 endometrial cancer in June 2024. The subsequent project, Nine Lives, explores loss, memory, and absence, stemming from the artist’s confrontation with this profound grief and the task of living without her presence.

The body of work weaves together contemporary photographs, many taken in the aftermath of her passing, with archival images from family albums. Through mixed media techniques and film photography, the project documents not only the physical deterioration of illness but also the vital process of solidifying and preserving memories of those who are lost. Nine Lives stands as both a deeply personal reflection and a wider meditation on how we collectively remember, grieve, and carry forward the legacy of those who have profoundly shaped us.

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Sally Smoker, Her Small Beginning, 2025, 15.75 in x 11.8 in, handwoven collage of archival photographs; Sally Smoker, Empty Footsteps, 11.8 in x 15.75 in, black and white 35mm film photograph. Images courtesy of the artist.