Statia Grossman

Shit You Left Behind: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Photographer Scorned Statia Grossman

They met as coworkers at Rolling Stone, both in their early 20s and both struggling to make it in the entertainment business. Over seven years, they saw each other get married, saw each other have children, then saw each other get divorced, eventually forming a bond stronger than friendship through their shared struggles. For the next three years, they tried to build a life together and sort through their mountains of baggage. It was hard work, but it was love.

For Statia, though, the work began to feel one-sided. She tried to make him happy, tried to compromise and then some, but every time things got good, he would leave. Over and over, they would break up, make up, rinse and repeat. Then, one day, she refused to take him back.

She knew she could only move forward by purging her apartment of his belongings. But before packing it all up, she decided to photograph the shit he left behind and lay claim to the emotional aftermath, taking pride in both the pain and the satisfaction.

Anyone who has ever been dumped and forced to begrudgingly clean out a closet will relate to Sh*t You Left Behind. At turns poignant and funny, angry and sexy, each artful photo reveals a piece of the fractured relationship that wasn't meant to be, and the strength it takes to move on.