Objects of ELA

Medical objects stand as silent protagonists of my mother’s phases of ALS journey. This series traces the intersection of grief and faith through a clinical lens, making visible the caregiver’s profound, unseen labor.

"Objects of ALS" is a visual chronicle documenting my mother’s progression through amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It transforms the cold and clinical disease into a sacred space of memory and grief.

By isolating these medical artifacts against a white, not-so-polished background, I have removed them from the chaotic reality of the home and elevated them to the status of protagonists. Each object serves as a monument marking a specific threshold my mother crossed.

The sequence follows the relentless map of the disease:

• The initial weakness: The simple, floral-patterned walker, symbolizing the first stages of ALS, when she began to fall, and losing her independance.

• The loss of autonomy: The skeletal framework of the wheelchairs, moving from partial assistance to total mobility replacement, followed by specialized equipment needed for the intimate dependency of bathing.

• The terminal loss: The final surrender of breath and voice, encapsulated by the complex oxygen concentrator and the ghostly translucent green breathing mask that dominated her closing days.

Rosaries represent the intersection of desperate faith and external causes, illustrating how religion becomes a structural support against the oncoming grief. I have integrated fragments of personal memory—such as VHS tapes and portraits—where I insert myself into the narrative, by losing my mom and losing myself into the scene.

"Objects of ALS" is a silent testimony. It seeks to bring the profound, invisible labor of the caregiver into the light, transforming utilitarian objects into vessels of memory and love.