I have Macular Degeneration. It is a part of my genetic make-up. It is my lineage. My father, his sister and my twin brother had early onset Macular Degeneration, Stargardt’s Disease in their late teens and early 20’s. I have lived all of my life surrounded by severely visually impaired people. I know their struggles, their feelings of depression, frustration, incompetence and alienation. It is prevalent in people over 50, nearly 30%. It is most common in the white race, nearly 90% compared with other races. Sixty five percent of women compared with 35% of men will more likely get Macular Degeneration.

I am that demographic.

“Flawed Pedigree”: The Mosaic of DNA conceptualizes and recognizes my lineage and what I inherited from my father and his ancestry. The photo sculptures are mosaics creating a multi-dimensional look at my DNA. They are interplays between portraits of my paternal ancestry and images of my retina. While this series is specific to me, it will resonate with many.

Creating photographic sculptures intensifies the angst of my future. The preciseness to form each sculpture and the mathematical calculations and measurements amplifies the amount of obstacles I face as the disease progresses.

The series is a path to clarity, knowledge and acceptance.