Exercise in Letting Go (What We Choose to Hold)

by Emma Kates-Shaw 

What does it mean to love a rock? How does imbuing found objects with meaning challenge structures in our daily life that keep us in a constant state of want, distant from each other and from the world around us? The act of looking down at the ground, finding a reason to love what is already there, keeping reminders of that feeling in our pockets, on our shelves, at the bottoms of our bags — guides us toward a different way of living in and loving our world.  

Material: found rocks, shells, seaglass, ceramic, coral, and marble; apoxie modeling compound, wood panel, Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308 paper, magnets. 

Dimensions: Rock assemblage 16x16 in., photo 48x48 in. 

Emma Kates-Shaw (she/they) is a Seattle based visual artist of endless mediums including illustration, film photography, installation, and hand poke tattooing. She is the owner of Chance Magic Studio in Pioneer Square and a passionate beach comber whose artwork often explores themes inspired by the natural world. “Exercise in Letting Go (What We Choose to Hold)” is their original commission for the Summer 2025 Alcove Artist series, featuring dozens of rocks from their personal collection, amassed over the last nine years. In this piece, Emma invites viewers to engage in an experience close to their own heart: walking in nature and searching the ground below for things to take home and treasure, building collections of found meaning and value that are not reliant on monetary worth. 

Special thanks to Olivia Green (photography) and Daniel Wood (printing) for their assistance with this piece, and to Sofya Belinskaya, Cameron Day, James Kleeburg, Andrew Powers and Markel Uriu for their behind-the-scenes support. 

Note: This large scale work cannot be shipped and must be picked up from the Store. Please email store@fryemuseum.org for further details.