What is Va a Llover Toda La Noche and how did it come to be?
When my mother, Concepcion, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, I was devastated, anxious and hopeless. I struggled with the idea of losing my mother even though she would remain physically here with us. In that desperation, I began to collect emails, text messages, handwritten notes, drawings and archival images from my family. I didn’t quite know what I was doing with the work yet, but I knew I had a lot of feelings to process. I started weaving images together, making interventions on them all while simultaneously photographing my mom every time I would go back home to Miami.
Slowly, the work started coming together in what would become Va a Llover Toda La Noche (It’s Going to Rain All Night), a photo story. My focus became clear: I wanted people to understand that Alzheimer’s disease affects more than just the patient. We, the families and caregivers, struggle with a complex set of emotions when navigating this disease.
What initially inspired you to grapple with dementia?
I was struggling with my mental health after my mom became sick. As a photographer, I was already documenting everything but this became an obsession. I was afraid that one day I would go home and everything would be different; I was afraid that she would no longer be able to speak or to recognize me. Making this work helped me to process my emotions and to feel connected to my mother, even as she’s slowly fading.
How has working on dementia-related art changed you?
I now feel a lot of love, care and empathy toward the elderly. This has also translated into my work as a photographer, in learning to treat my subjects with much more care than ever before.
This work is different than my usual body of work given that it is more conceptual (as I normally shoot for editorials or newspapers), however, it is still in line with documentary work, as I am actively documenting my mom.
How has the work been received?
I’ve had many people with family members who are living with Alzheimer’s disease reach out to me after seeing my work. I’ve also had many people say that they are grateful for an open dialogue about mental health and the struggles that caregivers experience.
This work is dedicated to: Mom
See Va a Llover Toda La Noche in person as it is exhibited at Miami Art Society from March 1 to 8. Find more from Alicia Vera on Instagram or her website.
