SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A new photography exhibition opening this week in Savannah highlights the dignity and stories of people often overlooked in the community.

Photographer Robin Elise Maaya will debut Everything That Rises, a documentary portrait exhibition opening Friday, March 6, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Cute Tomatoes Gallery on East 41st Street. The portraits were created in collaboration with individuals connected to Union Mission of Savannah, and a portion of exhibition sales will support the organization’s work serving people experiencing homelessness.

Rather than documenting homelessness from a distance, Maaya said the portraits were created through conversation and shared time with those photographed. She described the images as being made “with people, not of them.”

The exhibition features individuals connected to Union Mission, with several portraits already displayed at Parker’s House, a facility that opened in 2022 to provide housing and mental health support for women experiencing homelessness.

Maaya said the project encourages viewers to rethink how society sees people pushed to the margins. The exhibition takes its title from Savannah author Flannery O’Connor’s Everything That Rises Must Converge and invites audiences to recognize the humanity, resilience and dignity of those portrayed.

The opening reception Friday night is free and open to the public.

EVENT DETAILS

What: Everything That Rises photography exhibition

Who: Photographer Robin Elise Maaya

When: Friday, March 6, 6–10 p.m.

Where: Cute Tomatoes Gallery, 218 E. 41st St., Savannah

Cost: Free and open to the public