Objects of ELA – PhMuseum

Medical objects stand as silent protagonists of my mom’s phases of ALS journey. This sequence traces the intersection of grief and religion via a medical lens, making seen the caregiver’s profound, unseen labor.

“Objects of ALS” is a visible chronicle documenting my mom’s development via amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It transforms the chilly and medical illness right into a sacred house of reminiscence and grief.

By isolating these medical artifacts towards a white, not-so-polished background, I’ve eliminated them from the chaotic actuality of the house and elevated them to the standing of protagonists. Each object serves as a monument marking a particular threshold my mom crossed.

The sequence follows the relentless map of the illness:

• The preliminary weak point: The easy, floral-patterned walker, symbolizing the primary levels of ALS, when she started to fall, and shedding her independance.

• The lack of autonomy: The skeletal framework of the wheelchairs, transferring from partial help to complete mobility alternative, adopted by specialised gear wanted for the intimate dependency of bathing.

• The terminal loss: The ultimate give up of breath and voice, encapsulated by the complicated oxygen concentrator and the ghostly translucent inexperienced respiratory masks that dominated her closing days.

Rosaries symbolize the intersection of determined religion and exterior causes, illustrating how faith turns into a structural assist towards the oncoming grief. I’ve built-in fragments of private reminiscence—resembling VHS tapes and portraits—the place I insert myself into the narrative, by shedding my mother and shedding myself into the scene.

“Objects of ALS” is a silent testimony. It seeks to deliver the profound, invisible labor of the caregiver into the sunshine, remodeling utilitarian objects into vessels of reminiscence and love.