WATERTOWN, Mass.—The artwork of Dana Walrath, artist, anthropologist, and author of the graphic memoir, Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s Through the Looking Glass, will be on display at the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter’s office. The association is hosting an exhibit opening and book talk by Walrath on Thurs., Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at 480 Pleasant St. in Watertown.
Aliceheimer’s: Alzheimer’s through the Looking Glass (Harvest 2013) is an artist’s interpretation of her journey as a caregiver. In February 2008, Walrath’s mother, Alice, moved into Walrath’s Vermont home after challenges of living with Alzheimer’s left her unable to live alone. Walrath sketched and wrote about caring for her mother in this unique and whimsical narrative.
“We all can heal in the context of incurable, stigmatized diseases by speaking about them openly and with humor,” said Walrath. “This open communication dissipates fear and restores the humanity of people with dementia despite their loss of memory.”
The exhibition will feature 17 prints from Walrath’s book, including a wall-sized print, embroidered by the artist with gold thread. Walrath will discuss the process of her work and the lessons she has learned with her mother.
“We are thrilled that Dana Walrath is sharing her work with us,” said Betsy Fitzgerald-Campbell, vice president of communications and public affairs at the association. “I became familiar with Aliceheimer’s about a year ago and we’ve been in discussion since then for this program. If we want to continue to make progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s we need to push back on the stigma that can affect some people. Dana Walrath has done just that with her brilliant work.”
The opening talk is free and open to the public. Walrath will be available for book signing; the prints will be available for sale with a portion of all proceeds donated to the Alzheimer’s Association, MA/NH Chapter. To reserve a seat or for more information, visit alzmass.org/Walrath. The exhibit will remain on display until the end of the year.
Walrath holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.F.A. in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is on faculty at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and presented a TEDx talk on graphic storytelling and its connection to medicine and memory. Walrath has shown her artwork and spoken about her family’s journey in a variety of venues throughout North America, Europe, and China; co-authored a textbook series in anthropology; and most recently released a novel telling the survival story of three siblings during the Armenian Genocide.
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