ARTIST STATEMENT:
In 2018, I started "The Quiet World of Aging," a collection of portraits and personal narratives that conveys the many faces of aging: the beauty, sorrow, joy, and despair. This project took shape through my work as a psychiatric clinician in Boston, where I was entering spaces older adults lived and witnessed them disappearing into the background of society. As Covid-19 began infiltrating nursing homes and elderly complexes across the country, I felt compelled to create this new project as an extension of my current series. "Inside the Walls: An intimate look at our elderly during Covid-19" looks at the lives of the elderly who are suddenly facing a new reality in quarantine, as well as an uncertain fate. Many have become ill and perished as a result of the virus, and they are more than just a number or statistic- their lives and stories hold incredible value. Being on the front lines has had a powerful effect on me personally. It became paramount to me to share the truths I saw and experienced and to honor each precious life by embracing their identities, sharing their courage, and to make those who feel invisible, visible.
Melinda Gribko
CLICK ON IMAGES TO VIEW DETAILS
© The Photographer's Eye: A Creative Collective
