Come on, people. Haven’t we had enough of puppies and kitties and baby chicks? That’s animal ageism, and here at Flavorpill, we’re taking a stand. Well, okay, not really — we love puppies and kitties and baby chicks. But this series of photographs by Houston based artist Isa Leshko has a little more meaning than your average baby bear video. Leshko explains, “I began the series as a means of exploring my feelings about my mother’s decline due to Alzheimer’s Disease… As I’ve worked on this project, though, I’ve come to realize that these images are a testament to survival and endurance. And they raise questions about what it means to be elderly.” Leshko’s photographs are extremely powerful, at once heartbreaking and still full of life, eliciting our most human responses to old age and suffering in our furry friends. Click through to see some of our favorites from her collection and be sure to check out the rest of Leshko’s work.
Marino, Bronze Turkey, Age 5
Kelly, Irish Wolfhound, Age 11
Finn Sheep, Both Age 12
Embden Goose, Age 28
Blue, Australian Kelpie, Age 19
Teresa, Yorkshire Pig, Age 13
Rooster, Age Unknown
Pumpkin, Morgan Arabian Horse, Age 28
Red, Chow Mix, Age 14
Handsome One, Thoroughbred Horse, Age 33