Artist statement by Isa Leshko
I am traveling to sanctuaries across the country to photograph animals that are elderly or at the end stage of their lives. I began this series after I spent a year caring for my mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. I am taking these pictures to gain a deeper understanding about what it means to be mortal and to exorcise my fears of aging. I have come to realize that these images are self-portraits, or at the very least, they are manifestations of my fears and hopes about what I will be like when I am old.
"Looking at mortality and aging, that's not easy subject material. Some of the subjects do seem sad and tired, some of them are downright defiant and stare down the camera. I think these images are testaments to survival and endurance, and finding meaning and joy in life in the face of physical limitations and challenges." ~ Leshko
Kelly, Irish Wolfhound, Age 11
