ABOUT
MEMORIES
"Memories: Lost and Found," is about aging, and how it affects
American families.
In the 1980s, roughly 10% of the US population was over the age of 65.
By 2020, that number will reach 20%. The oldest segment of the population
is growing even faster - the number of people aged 85 and older has
more than tripled since 1970. As the population ages, diseases that
afflict the elderly become more prevalent. Over 4 million people currently
suffer from Alzheimer's disease - nearly half of all Americans 85 or
older. Since Alzheimer's impacts entire families, rather than just patients,
the disease affects a staggering number of Americans.
My work examines aging by tracking my family over the course of three
years. As my grandparents approached their mid 80s, their lives and
the lives of our entire family changed dramatically. The pace of change
increased as they became ill and ultimately passed on. While there are
many disturbing images in the work, I also strived to capture the warmth
of family bonds strengthened by hardship, and the joys of simple pleasures
and memories.
ABOUT MULTIPLES
"Multiples," is about families using fertility treatments
and as a result having multiple births.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about one of every 35
births in the United States are twins; and even more significant is
the number of triplet and higher multiple births which have increased
200 percent over the last three decades. Some women are waiting longer
to have children and are finding it difficult to get pregnant. With
new medical technology available, couples are turning to fertility treatment
to help them create families. And while fertility treatments may offer
a solution to a problem, it also raises new issues couples have to face.
Families having multiple births seem to bond in an extraordinary way.
From the very private decision to try fertility treatment to the very
public experience of having and bringing up more than one child, starting
a family isn't what it used to be but is becoming more common among
young families. Multiple birth families are forced to seek financial,
physical and mental support from their families and friends in ways
they haven't before. In 2004, this new kind of family is becoming more
and more visible. As many of my contemporaries are having multiple births
I have started to document these issues and this new kind of family.
|