Visiting the Anxious Ladies
An exhibition featuring the healing of one in a time of healing for many.
Dana Kamberg
Online Preview, PreSale | April 1st, Opens at 3pm (PST)
Exhibiting | April 2 - May 29th
Virtual Opening | Friday, April 2nd, 5:30pm PST, Facebook Live
Opening Reception | Friday, April 2nd, 6:00-8:00pm PST
The Anxious Ladies depict a variety of distorted self-portraits that feature representations of myself as a sorrowful woman in a red bathing cap. These images are tender and raw; based on a series of photographs I took of myself through the duration of my trauma therapy. Derived from my frustration in the healing process of my anxiety disorder and depression, these photographs ultimately became the references for the Anxious Ladies series. Through this series, I found that not only was my work useful as a coping mechanism for my own healing, but it connected with others experiencing mental illnesses as well. The use of these stylized portraits offers a chance for the audience to place themselves as the main subject. When did they last feel the kind of anxiety demonstrated in the figures’ faces? Comparing themselves to the portraits, how do they feel in that moment? This kind of discourse is fundamental to the reception of mental illnesses.
While mental illness and the reception of mental illness is the emphasis of these works, the times we exist in today seem to inform the content all the more. What does it look like to sit in acceptance of uncertainty- acceptance of fear? In engaging with the Anxious Ladies, and joining them in this space, we engage in the vulnerable act of connecting with ourselves and with others. We are the Anxious Ladies- lady or not- and in this space, we are not alone.
10% of sales from Visiting the Anxious Ladies will go to NACA Behavioral Health Programs. NACA Behavioral Health Services places a priority on improving mental health for all people in the community of Flagstaff utilizing a wide variety of counseling techniques that honor our unique population, their customs, culture and beliefs (including Traditional & Western orientations).
Our philosophy is that balance and harmony are central to the goals of wellness and healing. We believe that at any point in our lives, we have the ability to change/transform our lives for the better. With this in mind, we encourage progress by building on the strengths of our clients, their families and communities.
Counseling is offered for marital problems, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), depression, grief, trauma, self-esteem, coping skills, spiritual distress, and managing one’s lifestyle, and other issues. We also offer Prevention Programs including a Substance Abuse Program, Suicide Prevention and Pathways after school program for youth.
Dana Kamberg
Dana Kamberg is best known for her portraiture work. Beginning her artistic career discussing mental illness and the healing process that ensues, she utilized distorted portraits to create caricatures of anxiety which established the body of work known as the “Anxious Ladies”. She’s furthered her work by exploring systemic issues that create perpetual trauma cycles, instigating new focuses on traditional portrait-making. Over the last few years, Ms. Kamberg has been the recipient of the Eyedazzler Award, the Arts and Letters Scholarship, the Moller Scholarship for her exemplary work and dedication to her craft, the Engaged Artist Award, and was featured in the Refuse des Salon show in Sedona, Arizona. Utilizing portraiture as a means of representation and advocacy, she finds that as a community we allow for mental illness to become humanized- offering visibility to a large audience of how vast and these afflictions can be and open up a safe place for discussion. She hopes to provide through her work, resources for viewers, and opportunities to connect with one another. Looking ahead, she intends to continue her work outlining the internal/external impacts of systemic racism on healing and mental wellness.
