Remembering EJ Hassan

An artist on the other side of the world brought tears to my eyes

EJ Hassan photographed by Anastasia Pagonas

Sad news: I learned yesterday that photographer EJ Hassan died this week after struggling for some time with cancer. She was 42 years old.

I met EJ on Instagram when her photography inspired me to message her. We struck up a correspondence and one of those virtual friendships that’s real and not real at the same time. It’s funny how that works — you meet someone on the internet and start to feel like you know them even though you’ve never connected in real life. Do you know what I mean?

Our correspondence turned into a creative collaboration. EJ and I published this post earlier this year, and I appreciated her honesty and strength. I had a cancer experience of my own twenty years ago, when I was a young man, so I offered EJ words of encouragement and support in our text messages. She continued to share her pictures with me over the summer, and we’d chat about the good things in life. That’s all one can do in these situations — keep your chin up and your mind right.

And yet, EJ couldn’t make it.

I cried yesterday when I heard the news, which is a testament to the power of social media to make real, meaningful connections between people. Social nets are seriously flawed and yet significantly powerful at the same time, and that’s not nothing.

One of EJ’s friends, photographer Anastasia Pagonas, shared an essay that EJ had written before she left. It’s a beautiful piece of writing — a meditation on art, photography, and the struggles of being — and a moving glimpse into the mind of a sensitive, soulful artist. I hope you’ll read it.

I’m remembering EJ today by looking at her photography and thinking about her spirit. I’m grateful to have known her, however briefly and from afar.

Rest in peace, EJ. See you on the other side.

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EJ Hassan photographed by Anastasia Pagonas