The Safe Room

Aria photographs abandoned structures and locations- the odder, the better. Through her lens, she keeps her subjects at a distance. In reality, the cracks in her life are too close, as her beloved twin sister Tam struggles with a lifetime of mental illness. Tam finds refuge on her blog called The Safe Room. At a stop in Staunton, Virginia, a crumbling building draws Aria in. The haunting building has a dark past. The new subject also piques Tam’s interest, as if sensing the depth of a story, and urges Aria to dig deeper. The more Aria leans, the past encroaches upon her hometown, and she must find ways to raise awareness while creating space for dignity and respect.