Ethan Helow thesis exhibition: 'Whatever Helps Us Sleep at Night'

In his thesis exhibition Whatever Helps Us Sleep at Night, Ethan Helow (M.F.A. photography) presents a two-chapter photographic project informed by the archetypal framework of the hero’s journey. Investigating psychological dissonance during periods of transition, identity formation, and ancestral inheritance, Helow’s work moves beyond a strictly autobiographical lens to create a universal coming-of-age dialogue. The narrative begins with Lighthouse, a series of multiple-exposure images of Helow’s hometown that appear as fragmented dreamscapes, and concludes with the atmospheric and mythically charged portraits in Icarus. Ultimately, Whatever Helps Us Sleep at Night demonstrates the difference between the strange and the familiar is only perception.

Opening reception: Friday, Oct. 16, 5–7 p.m.

The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.