Photo Poets: Sharelle Monét Thompson

Sharelle Monét Thompson is a dynamic photographer and documentarian who captures subtleties and depths with equal vigor, witnessing the fullness of moments and weaving them into intricate stories. Her work speaks with the connectivity, reverence and mourning that comes with living in an ever-changing city, with ever-changing challenges. Her images featured here show the Morris Black housing projects before they were torn down for redevelopment.

This summer Thompson exhibited her first solo show, titled Unraveling the Cycle, which ran from June 25 through July 19 at Akron Soul Train. This show featured a portrait series and installation exploring her journey with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Learn more on her IG.

Sharelle’s Bio

Sharelle Monét Thompson is a native Clevelander and fine art photographer whose work explores Black identity, mental health, and personal storytelling. Raised on the East Side of Cleveland, her creative eye is informed by memories of collecting cans for money, running from danger, and witnessing beauty amid struggle. Cleveland has taught her to see the world sharply and compassionately.

Her photographs document the unseen: the soft, sacred, and sometimes fractured spaces that Black Clevelanders move through with grace and resilience.

She holds a BFA in photography from Cleveland State University with a minor in the study of the arts of the African Diaspora. Her work has been supported by Karamu House’s Room in the House Fellowship and the Akron Soul Train residency, where she expanded into film and multimedia storytelling. Her photography isn’t just about Cleveland—it is Cleveland embodied: layered, intimate, raw, and full of heart.