The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 30, 2026

A horizontally oriented black-and-white photograph depicts a windowsill framed by dark curtains. On our left, a textured glass bottle sits near a small crystal. A large potted plant with heart-shaped leaves dominates the center, next to a tiny framed portrait. To the right, additional glass bottles and a seated figurine rest on the ledge. Bright light from the window silhouettes the dense foliage and illuminates the objects from behind.

Ellen's Room, Angeline Christian Home, Cleveland

1992

Melissa Shook

(American, 1939–2020)
America
gelatin silver print
Image: 29.5 x 44.1 cm (11 5/8 x 17 3/8 in.)
The Julius L. Greenfield Photography Acquisition Fund 2025.185.4
© Kristina Shook and Estate of M. Melissa Shook
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

It is estimated that over 5,000 people experience homelessness in Cuyahoga County annually.

Description

Melissa Shook’s portraits and interviews of women in homeless shelters arose from her experiences volunteering at women’s shelters in Boston. In 1992, two Cleveland social service agencies, the Federation for Community Planning and Cleveland Health Care for the Homeless, invited her to photograph women in Cleveland shelters. Her images reveal the challenges these women face, their resilience and determination to rebuild their lives, and the societal and personal cost of homelessness.
  • ?–2025
    (Miyako Yoshinga Gallery, New York, NY), sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    June 9, 2025–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Ellen's Room, Angeline Christian Home, Cleveland|url=false|author=Melissa Shook|year=1992|access-date=30 May 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2025.185.4