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.
Capuchin Monkey, Age 30+
"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
Violet, Potbellied Pig, Age 12
Handsome One, Thoroughbred Horse, Age 33
Blue, Australian Kelpie, Age 19
Pumpkin, Morgan Arabian Horse, Age 28
Kelly, Irish Wolfhound, Age 11
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Isa Leshko /
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Portraits of Elderly Animals
with the title Portraits of Elderly Animals ~ by Photographer Isa Leshko. You can bookmark this page URL http://nikiinwonderland.blogspot.com/2012/01/portraits-of-elderly-animals-by.html. Thanks!