Justine Tapert
As I took trips to Staten Island to photograph two of my great-aunts, I found women in a battle with time. I watched as their relationship to the world, their loved ones, and their roles in life began to change. As she falls into dementia, my Great-Aunt Charlotte surrounds herself with things, her house filled with photographs and tchotchkes, keeping a seemingly busy and carefree schedule. My Great-Aunt Kathy isolates herself, her body and mind healthy enough to feel independent leaves her more detached from the world. She is set in her ways, has a routine and place for everything but no one to share with. Through my photos I show how differently these women deal with the physical and mental challenges that come with age.
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Justine Tapert is a photographer and writer who was born and raised in New York City. She is a senior at NYC Lab High School and will attend Vassar College in the fall. She studies photography at the International Center of Photography, making work about family and identity, drawing inspiration from her twin brother and parents who always bring art and music into their home.