A new exhibit has been added to the Winona History Center. This exhibit is titled “The Cherry Blossoms You Missed” and was created by Kathleen Hawkes, associate professor for the department of art at the University of La Crosse.

Hawkes started working on this exhibit about a year and a half ago. “The Cherry Blossoms You Missed” was inspired by a close friend to Hawkes that passed away unexpectedly four years ago.

“It kind of started because after she died, I went through her house with her family and I ended up keeping some of her objects and clothing,” Hawkes said, “those objects became the visual back bone of this artwork because almost all of them have something from her life in them.”

“The Cherry Blossoms You Missed” is a photography exhibit and consists of 14 works. All of the objects Hawkes features in the photographs are obscured in some way.

“You realize when someone passes and you are in their home, there is so much about them that you didn’t realize or didn’t know,” Hawkes said. Hawkes believes this is their way of showing you what they wanted you to notice.

The exhibit has a reoccurring theme of being close with someone, however you often do not see the whole picture. Hawkes created these photographs in a studio and used elements like lighting, wrapping paper, plastic bags and sand to obscure the picture.

Hawkes explained there are two meanings behind the exhibit name “The Cherry Blossoms You Missed”. The first one is literal; Hawkes and her friend would have experienced the Japanese cherry blossoms that bloom near Lake Winona in early spring.

“On the other hand, I was thinking cherry blossoms are so beautiful and short lived, so fleeting,” Hawkes said, “so for the viewers, my friend is sort of the cherry blossoms you missed.” Hawkes said her friend was vibrant and one of those people that gave a lot emotionally.

Hawkes received a faculty research grant from the University of La Crosse to pursue this exhibit. The last exhibit created by Hawkes was on display at the Rochester Community and Technical College Art Gallery in 2019. Hawkes has also exhibited in La Crosse, Chicago and Fiji.

“I think Kate is a really impressive and accomplished artist but she hasn’t really shown her artwork in Winona,” Roger Boulay, Winona State assistant professor of photography and gallery coordinator, said. “She’s kind of like a hidden gem in the Winona art scene so I’m excited to have people learn more about who she is.”

Boulay feels the issues Hawkes expresses in this exhibit are universal and everyone can find a way to relate to the work.

“The Cherry Blossoms You Missed” officially opened on Friday, Sept. 23 and will be on display through Nov. 13.

“Like any art exhibit, I hope people appreciate the design, but this show in particular, I hope it resonates with anyone has experienced loss, especially one that was so abrupt and mysterious,” Hawkes said.