I did something recently that scared me in the best possible way. I put on my first exhibition.
The Life and Death of Love became more than a book for a few weeks. I painted the cover across a wall, scattered autumn leaves across the floor, and let birdsong play in the background. Framed photographs from the book lined the space, and for the first time, people could step inside the world I have been writing about for so long.
It was not easy getting there. The exhibition was originally pushed back three weeks because my books arrived incorrectly printed. I was devastated. Then, just days before the new date, issues cropped up again with peeling covers. I was ready to panic, but luckily the corrected books arrived in time, and the show could go on, ready for launch night.
Starting from scratch to fill the space with my work was stressful. I worried about how it would look, whether it would feel cohesive, whether people would get it. But as I hung the frames, scattered the leaves, and saw the cover come to life on the wall, something shifted. It felt good. Really good. To see it all come together, to create a space that was fully mine, that people could walk into and feel something of what I had felt while writing the book.
The part that stayed with me most was not the big pieces, though. It was the wall of scraps, old fragments of poems, rough sketches, unfinished lines that never made it into the book. Usually, I keep those tucked away, but seeing them taped to the wall, mixed with photos and sketches, felt like a release. It was emotional in a quiet way, a little like watching the story of the book unfold in real life, in all its messy, beautiful parts.
Standing there, I realised it is one thing to hand someone a book, and another to invite them into the process behind it, the mess, the doubts, the trial and error that somehow adds up to something whole.
I was proud. Nervous, yes, but proud too. Because for those few days, the book was not just something to read. It was something you could stand in.
And the best part? People have really enjoyed it, enough that we have extended the exhibition until October 24th. If you have not stepped inside yet, you still can. Come by, take a walk through the book, and see the little scraps and sketches that make it feel alive. I would love to see you there.
Also, I am curious, what is the best exhibition or art show you have ever visited? I am always inspired by seeing other people’s worlds come to life.
Ryon Maverick 