Robin Elise Maaya Presents EVERYTHING That Rises - An Exhibition of Portraits
Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Photographer Robin Elise Maaya will present EVERYTHING That Rises, a powerful new exhibition of documentary portraiture, openingFriday, March 6, from 6–10 PM at Cute Tomatoes Gallery, located at 218 E 41st Street, Savannah. A portion of all exhibition sales will be donated directly toUnion Mission of Savannah, in support of its ongoing work serving individuals experiencing homelessness.
Created in collaboration with Union Mission, EVERYTHING That Rises documents individuals who are too often rendered invisible within their own communities. Rather than framing homelessness through distance or spectacle, Maaya approaches each portrait as a shared encounter—rooted in trust, conversation, and mutual presence. The resulting images honor the dignity, individuality, and quiet resilience of those photographed.
The exhibition marks a significant shift in Maaya’s practice. While much of her earlier work focused on self-examination, family, and childhood memory, EVERYTHING That Rises turns outward—carrying forward the same commitment to care and vulnerability while engaging with unfamiliar and often overlooked lives. The project takes its title from Flannery O’Connor’s Everything That Rises Must Converge, invoking a moral call to reckon with the truths we are often trained to look past.
“These portraits were made with people, not of them,” Maaya says. “They are the result of shared time, listening, and trust. My hope is that viewers slow down, look closely, and reconsider who is seen, remembered, and valued within the fabric of Savannah.”
Many of the portraits included in the exhibition currently hang within Union Mission’s Parker’s House, the city’s first dedicated space supporting women experiencing homelessness while also offering critical mental health care. Presented in the gallery context, the work continues its mission of visibility and witnessing—inviting the public into a deeper, more compassionate form of seeing.
The opening reception on March 6th is free and open to the public.
Exhibition Details:
EVERYTHING That Rises
Opening Reception: Friday, March 6, 6–10 PM
Location: Cute Tomatoes Gallery
218 E 41st Street, Savannah, GA
*For additional information, images, or press inquiries, please contact:
Robin Elise Maaya robinmaaya.com robin.
