ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tony Luciani - Artist
Tony Luciani picked up a camera in 2014 to document his aging mom's struggle with dementia, beginning a four-year-long voyage of discovery.

Why you should listen

Tony Luciani picked up a camera in 2014 to document his aging mom's struggle with dementia, and it was the imaginative expression of the collaboration that propelled his work internationally. After more than 40 years as a full-time painter, Luciani garnered worldwide attention with this four-year-long photography series. Their voyage of discovery, expressing the benefits of inclusion and participation within a creative medium, has gone beyond the boundaries of recognizing it as just a personal visual diary.

Luciani graduated from Toronto's Ontario College of Art in 1977 with prestigious honors. At age 21, he was encouraged to continue with his fifth-year post-graduate study in Florence, Italy. It was there that he found maturity while carefully observing the historical paintings of the Renaissance Masters. Upon returning, he was promptly accepted for representation by a well-respected and established Canadian art gallery.

In defining his work, Luciani prefers to be placed in a tradition of realism, which is both interpretive and characterized by focused observation. As a photographer, he likes defining his imagery as an "obvious extension" to what he already creates as an artist.

Luciani's art can be found in private, public and corporate collections globally. An unabridged edition of one-hundred photographs titled "MAMMA, In the Meantime" is in the collection of the local chapter of the Canadian Alzheimer Society. He is represented by Loch Gallery in Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary.

More profile about the speaker
Tony Luciani | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxCambridge

Tony Luciani: A mother and son's photographic journey through dementia

تۆنى لۆچنى: گه‌شتێکی فۆتۆگرافى دايك و كوڕێك به‌ناو خه‌ڵه‌فاندا

Filmed:
531,090 views

هونه‌رمه‌ند تۆنى لۆچنى، كامێرايه‌كى تازه‌ى تاقى ده‌كرده‌وه‌ كه‌ دايكه‌ نه‌وه‌د و يه‌ك ساڵه‌كه‌ى له‌ پشتى فۆتۆكانييه‌وه‌ خۆى مه‌ڵاس دابوو. ئه‌و وێنه‌ عه‌فويه‌ بوو به‌ پڕشنگێكى يارمه‌تيده‌ر بۆ لۆچنى تا ژيانى دايكى و ڕۆحى دايكى له‌گه‌ڵ خه‌ڵه‌فه‌اندا دۆكيومێنت بكات. له‌م ئاخاوتنە كاريگه‌ره‌يدا، ئه‌و چيرۆكانه‌ ده‌خاته‌ ڕوو كه‌ له‌ پشت هه‌ندێ له‌ له‌قته‌ دڵخوازه‌كانيانه‌وه‌يه‌ هەیە. وێنه‌ى ئه‌و چێژبينين و سوێيانه‌ ده‌خاته‌ ڕوو كه‌ مرۆڤ به‌هۆى ئاگاداركردنى باوانێكى به‌ته‌مه‌نه‌وه‌ هه‌ستيان پێ ده‌كات.
- Artist
Tony Luciani picked up a camera in 2014 to document his aging mom's struggle with dementia, beginning a four-year-long voyage of discovery. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
When my 91-year-old mother, Elia,
moved in with me,
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كاتێك دايكه‌ ته‌مه‌ن 91 ساڵه‌كه‌م، ئێليا
گواستييه‌وه‌ بۆ لاى من
00:17
I thought I was doing her a service.
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له‌و بڕوايه‌دا بووم كه‌ من
به‌مه‌ خزمه‌تى ده‌كه‌م
00:20
In fact, it was the other way around.
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له‌ڕاستيدا به‌ پێچه‌وانه‌وه‌ بوو.
00:23
You see, Mom was having issues
with memory loss and accepting her age.
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دايه‌ كێشه‌ى له‌ده‌ستدانى ياده‌وه‌رى و
قبوڵكردنى ته‌مه‌نى خۆى هه‌بوو.
00:29
She looked defeated.
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وره‌ ڕوخاو ده‌رده‌كه‌وت.
00:31
I tried to make her
as comfortable as possible,
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هه‌وڵم دا چه‌نده‌ له‌ توانادا
بێ، ئاسوده‌ى بكه‌م.
00:35
but when I was at my easel, painting,
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وه‌لێ كاتێ له‌سه‌ر ستاندى تابلۆكه‌
نيگارم ده‌كێشا
00:37
I would peek over
and see her just ... there.
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به‌ نيگايه‌ك لێم ڕوانى
و بينيم ئه‌و له‌وێیە.
00:41
She'd be staring at nothing in particular.
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سه‌رنج له‌ هيچ شتێكى تايبه‌تى نادات.
00:45
I'd watch her slowly climb the stairs,
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سه‌يرم ده‌كرد به‌ قادرمه‌كاندا
سه‌رده‌كه‌وت،
00:49
and she wasn't the mom I grew up with.
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ئه‌و دايكه‌ نه‌بوو من
له‌گه‌ڵى گه‌وره‌ بوو بووم.
00:52
I saw, instead, a frail,
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له‌جياتى ئه‌و، كه‌سێكى په‌ككه‌وته‌ى
لاوازم بينى،
00:55
tiny, old woman.
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ژنێكى پيرى بچكۆله‌.
01:01
A few weeks went by,
and I needed a break from my painting.
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چه‌ند هه‌فته‌يه‌ك تێپه‌ڕى، پێويستم به‌
پشوويه‌ك له‌ نيگاركێشانه‌كه‌م هەبوو.
01:04
I wanted to play with the new camera
I had just bought.
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ويستم يارى به‌و كامێرايه‌
بكه‌م كه‌ تازه‌ كڕى بووم.
01:07
I was excited --
it had all sorts of dials,
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دڵخۆش بووم به‌وه‌ى
هه‌موو جۆره‌كانى مه‌وج و
01:10
buttons and settings I wanted to learn,
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دوگمه‌ و ڕێكخستنى له‌سه‌ره‌
كه‌ من ده‌مه‌وێ،
01:13
so I set up my tripod
facing this large mirror,
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سێپێچكه‌كه‌م به‌رامبه‌ر
ئاوێنه‌ گه‌وره‌كه‌یی
01:18
blocking the doorway
to the only bathroom in the house.
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ده‌رگایی ته‌والێته‌كه‌ جێگیر کرد كه‌
ته‌نيا ته‌والێت بوو له‌ ماڵه‌كه‌دا.
01:23
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
01:25
After a while, I hear,
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پاش كه‌مێك، گوێم لێ بوو.
(لاسايى شێوه‌زارى ئيتاڵى ده‌كاته‌وه‌)
"پێويستم به‌ ته‌والێته‌"
01:29
(Imitating Italian accent)
"I need to use the washroom."
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01:31
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
01:32
"Five minutes, Mom. I need to do this."
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پێنج ده‌قيقه‌، دايه‌، پێويستم
به‌وه‌يه‌ ئه‌مه‌ بكه‌م.
01:36
15 minutes later, and I hear, again,
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چاره‌کێ تێپه‌ڕى، ديسانه‌وه‌ گوێم لێبوو،
01:42
"I need to use the washroom."
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"پێويستم به‌ ته‌والێته‌"
01:45
"Five more minutes."
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"پێنج ده‌قيقه‌ى تر"
01:47
Then this happened.
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پاشان ئه‌مه‌ ڕووى دا.
01:53
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
01:57
(Applause)
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(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
02:05
And this.
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هه‌روه‌ها ئه‌مه‌ش.
02:09
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
02:14
And then, this.
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هه‌روه‌ها ئه‌مه‌ش.
02:19
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
02:25
I had my "aha!" moment.
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ئه‌مه‌ ساتى "ئه‌ها"ــم بوو.
02:29
We connected.
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پەیوەندیمان دروست کرد.
02:30
We had something tangible
we could do together.
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شتێكى هه‌ستپێكراومان هه‌بوو
كه‌ بتوانين پێكه‌وه‌ بيكه‌ين.
02:36
My mom was born in a small
mountain village in central Italy,
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دايكم له‌ گوندێكى بچووكى شاخاوى
له‌ناوه‌ڕاستى ئيتاڵيا له‌دايك بووبوو،
02:41
where her parents had land and sheep.
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دايك و باوكى له‌وێ زه‌وى و
مه‌ڕ و ماڵاتيان هه‌بوو.
02:44
At a young age,
her father died of pneumonia,
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له‌ ته‌مه‌نێكى گه‌نجدا باوكى
به‌ هەوکردنی سييه‌كان مردبوو.
02:47
leaving his wife and two daughters alone
with all the heavy chores.
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ژن و دوو كچه‌كه‌ى به‌ ته‌نيا جێهێشت
له‌گه‌ڵ ئه‌و هه‌موو ئه‌ركه‌ سه‌ختانه‌.
02:53
They found that they couldn't cope.
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بۆيان ده‌ركه‌وت كه‌ ناتوانن
به‌ره‌نگارى ببنه‌وه‌.
02:56
So a very hard decision was made.
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له‌به‌ر ئه‌وه‌ بڕيارێكى زۆر سه‌خت درا
02:59
Mom, the oldest, at 13,
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دايه‌، كه‌ كچی گه‌وره‌ بوو، له‌
سيانزه‌ ساڵيدا
03:02
was married off to a complete
stranger twice her age.
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درا به‌ پياوێكى ته‌واو نه‌ناس، كه‌ دوو
ئه‌وه‌نده‌ له‌ خۆى گه‌وره‌تر بوو.
03:08
She went from being just a kid
and was pushed into adulthood.
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له‌ مناڵیەوە ناچار کرا
هەنگاو بۆ گه‌وره‌بوون بنێت.
03:14
Mom had her first child
when she was only 16.
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دايه‌ له‌ ته‌مه‌نى 16 ساڵيدا
يه‌كه‌مين منداڵى بوو.
03:20
Years later, and now living in Toronto,
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ساڵانى دواتر و ئێستاش له‌ تۆرنتۆ ده‌ژى،
03:23
Mom got work in a clothing factory
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دايه‌ له‌ كارگه‌ى جلوبەرگ كارى ده‌كرد
03:26
and soon became manager
of a very large sewing department.
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هه‌ر زوو بوو به‌ به‌رپرسى به‌شێكى
گه‌وره‌ى دوورينى بەرگ.
03:31
And because it was full
of immigrant workers,
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چونکە زۆربەی کرێکاران کۆچبەر بوون،
03:34
Mom taught herself words
from translation books.
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دايه‌ له‌ كتێبه‌كانى وه‌رگێڕانه‌وه‌،
خۆی فێری وشە دەکرد.
03:38
She then practiced them in French,
Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish,
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پاشان به‌ فه‌ڕه‌نسى، يۆنانى، ئيسپانى،
پورتوگالى و دانيماركى پراكتيزه‌ى ده‌كرد.
03:42
Polish, Russian, Romanian, Hungarian,
all around the house.
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و پۆله‌ندى، ڕووسى، هه‌نگارى هه‌موو
ئه‌وانه‌ى ده‌وروبه‌رى ماڵه‌كه‌ى دەزانی.
03:47
I was in awe of her focus
and determination to succeed
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من به‌ بيرچڕى و سووربوونى
له‌سه‌ر سه‌ركه‌وتن له‌ هه‌موو ئه‌و
03:53
at whatever she loved to do.
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شتانه‌دا كه‌ حه‌زى لێ بوو
بيانكات سەرسام بووم.
03:56
After that bathroom "aha!" moment,
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له‌ دواى ساتى "ئه‌ها"ى ته‌والێته‌كه‌
به‌ كامێرا
03:59
I practiced my newfound camera skills
with Mom as portrait model.
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تازه‌كه‌ لەگه‌ڵ دايه‌ وه‌ك مۆدێلێكى
پۆرترێت مه‌شقى به‌هره‌ى خۆمم ده‌كرد.
04:05
Through all of this,
she talked, and I listened.
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به‌دريژايى هه‌موو ئه‌مانه‌، ئه‌و
قسه‌ى ده‌كرد و من گوێم ده‌گرت.
04:08
She'd tell me about her early childhood
and how she was feeling now.
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باسى منداڵى زووى بۆ ده‌كردم و
ئێستاش هه‌ستى چۆنه‌.
04:13
We had each other's attention.
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هه‌ريه‌كەمان سه‌رنجى ئه‌ویترمان ڕاكێشابوو.
04:17
Mom was losing her short-term memory,
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دايه‌ ياده‌وه‌رى
كورتخايه‌نى له‌ده‌ستدابوو
04:19
but was better recalling
her younger years.
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وه‌لێ باشتر ساڵانى
گه‌نجێتى ده‌هاته‌وه‌ ياد.
04:23
I'd ask, and she would tell me stories.
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من پرسيارم ده‌كرد و ئه‌ويش
چيرۆكى ده‌گێڕايه‌وه‌.
04:25
I listened, and I was her audience.
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گوێم ده‌گرت و من گوێگرى بووم.
04:29
I got ideas.
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بیرۆکە بە میشکمدا دەهات.
04:31
I wrote them down,
and I sketched them out.
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ئەوانەم نووسی و سكێچم بۆ دروست كردن.
04:34
I showed her what to do
by acting out the scenarios myself.
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پيشانم دا كه‌ چى بكات له‌ ڕێگەی نواندنى
سيناريۆكانه‌وه‌ له‌لايه‌ن خۆمه‌وه‌.
04:40
We would then stage them.
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پاشان وه‌ك شانۆ ده‌مانخسته‌ڕوو.
04:42
So she posed, and I learned
more about photography.
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ئه‌و له‌به‌ر ده‌ممدا وه‌ستا و منيش زۆر
شت ده‌رباره‌ى وێنه‌گرتن فێربووم.
04:48
Mom loved the process, the acting.
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دايه‌ پڕۆسه‌ى نواندنه‌كه‌ى به‌دڵ بوو.
04:53
She felt worthy again,
she felt wanted and needed.
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هه‌ستي كرد به‌های هه‌يه‌،
داواكراوه‌ و پێويستيان پێيه‌تى.
04:58
And she certainly wasn't camera-shy.
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هه‌روه‌ها، به‌دڵنيايى شه‌رمى
له‌ كامێرا نه‌ده‌كرد.
05:00
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
05:04
(Applause)
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(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
05:12
Mom laughed hysterically at this one.
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دايه‌ شێتانه‌ به‌م دانه‌يه‌يان پێكه‌نى.
05:16
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
05:19
The idea for this image
came from an old German film I'd seen,
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بيرۆكه‌ى ئه‌م وێنه‌يه‌ له‌ فيلمێكى كۆنى
ئه‌ڵمانيه‌وه‌ هات كه‌ من بينيبووم،
05:23
about a submarine, called "Das Boot."
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ده‌رباره‌ى ژێرده‌رياييه‌ك كه‌
ناوى داس بووت بوو.
05:26
As you can see, what I got instead
looked more like "E.T."
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وه‌ك ده‌بينين، ئه‌وه‌ى ده‌ستم كه‌وت
زياتر له‌ ئی تی ده‌چوو.
05:30
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
05:32
So I put this image aside,
thinking it was a total failure,
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بۆيه‌ ئه‌و وێنه‌يه‌م وه‌لاخست، وا بيرم
كرده‌وه‌ شكستێكى تێروته‌سه‌ل بوو،
05:35
because it didn't reach
my particular vision.
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چونكه‌ نه‌گه‌يشتبووه‌ ئاستى
ڕوئياى تايبه‌تى من.
05:38
But Mom laughed so hard,
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وه‌لێ دايه‌ زۆر پێكه‌نى،
05:41
I eventually, for fun,
decided to post it online anyway.
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دواجار ته‌نيا بۆ خۆشى بڕيارم دا،
لە ئۆنلاين په‌خشى بكه‌م.
05:47
It got an incredible amount of attention.
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ژماره‌يه‌كى زۆرى بڕواپێنه‌كراو
سه‌رنجى بۆ خۆى ڕاكێشا.
05:51
Now, with any Alzheimer's, dementia,
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ئێستاكه‌ له‌گه‌ڵ هه‌ر نه‌خۆشييه‌كى
زه‌هايمه‌ر و خه‌ڵه‌فاندا
05:56
there's a certain amount
of frustration and sadness
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بڕێكى دياريكراو له‌شكستى و خه‌مۆكى هه‌يه‌،
05:59
for everyone involved.
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بۆ هه‌ر كه‌سێ
كه‌ تووشى بووبێت.
06:02
This is Mom's silent scream.
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ئه‌وه‌ هاوارى بێده‌نگى دايه‌ بوو.
06:06
Her words to me one day were,
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ڕۆژێكيان وشه‌كانى بۆ من ئه‌مانه‌ بوون،
06:08
"Why is my head so full of things to say,
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بۆچى سه‌رم پڕه‌ له‌ شت بۆ وتن،
06:12
but before they reach my mouth,
I forget what they are?"
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وه‌لێ، به‌رله‌وه‌ى بگه‌نه‌ سه‌ر زارم
له‌بيرم ده‌چێته‌وه‌ کە چى بوون؟
06:20
"Why is my head so full of things to say,
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بۆچى سه‌رم پڕه‌ له‌ شت بۆ وتن،
06:27
but before they reach my mouth,
I forget what they are?"
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وه‌لێ، به‌رله‌وه‌ى بگه‌نه‌ سه‌ر زارم
له‌بيرم ده‌چنه‌وه‌؟
06:33
(Applause)
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(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
06:44
Now, as full-time care partner
and full-time painter,
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ئێستاكه‌، وه‌ك چاودێريكه‌رێكى فول تايم و
نيگاركێشێكى فول تايم،
06:49
I had my frustrations too.
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منيش هه‌ست به‌ شكستى تايبه‌ت
به‌ خۆمم هه‌يه‌.
06:53
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
06:55
But to balance off
all the difficulties, we played.
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وه‌لێ، بۆ هاوسه‌نگكردنى ئه‌سته‌مييه‌كان،
پێكه‌وه‌ گه‌مه‌ ده‌كه‌ين.
06:58
That was Mom's happy place.
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ئه‌وه‌ له‌ شوێنه‌ خۆشه‌كانى دايه‌ بوو.
07:01
And I needed her to be there, too.
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منيش پێويستم پێى بوو كه‌ له‌وێ بێت.
07:05
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
07:10
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
07:15
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
07:19
Now, Mom was also preoccupied with aging.
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ئێستاكه‌، دايه‌ سه‌رقاڵ بوو
به‌ مه‌سه‌له‌ى پيربوونه‌وه‌.
07:22
She would say,
"How did I get so old, so fast?"
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ده‌یگوت: بۆچى وا زوو به‌ خێرايى پير بووم؟
07:29
(Audience sighs)
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(جه‌ماوه‌ر هه‌ناسه‌ هه‌ڵده‌كێشن)
07:41
"So old."
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زۆر پير.
07:48
"So fast."
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زۆر خێرا.
07:53
I also got Mom to model
for my oil paintings.
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هه‌روه‌ها دايه‌م خسته‌ ناو
مۆدێڵى تابلۆ زه‌يتيه‌كانمه‌وه‌.
07:57
This painting is called "The Dressmaker."
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ئه‌م تابلۆيه‌ ناوى بەرگدووری عه‌زيزيه‌.
08:02
I remember, as a kid,
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له‌ يادمه‌ كه‌ منداڵ بووم،
08:05
Mom sewing clothes for the whole family
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دايه‌ بەرگی بۆ هه‌موو خێزانه‌كه‌ ده‌دوورى
08:07
on this massive, heavy sewing machine
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له‌سه‌ر ئه‌و مه‌كينه‌ گه‌وره‌
قورسه‌ى دروومان،
08:11
that was bolted
to the floor in the basement.
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كه‌ له‌ ژێرزه‌مينه‌كه‌ جێگير كرا بوو.
08:15
Many nights, I would go downstairs
and bring my schoolwork with me.
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زۆرێك له‌ شه‌وان ده‌چوومه‌ خواره‌وه‌
و ئەرکەکانی قوتابخانەشم دەبرد.
08:20
I would sit behind her
in this overstuffed chair.
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له‌پشتييه‌وه‌ له‌سه‌ر ئه‌و كورسيه‌
پڕ له‌ ناوه‌خنه‌ داده‌نيشتم.
08:25
The low hum of the huge motor
and the repetitive stitching sounds
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ده‌نگى نزمى ماتۆڕه‌ گه‌وره‌كه و ده‌نگى
دووباره‌بووه‌ى دروومان
08:30
were comforting to me.
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بۆ من دڵنه‌وايى بوون.
08:33
When Mom moved into my house,
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كاتێ دايه‌ بۆ
ماڵه‌كه‌ى من گواستيه‌وه‌،
08:35
I saved this machine and stored it
in my studio for safekeeping.
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ئه‌م مه‌كينه‌يه‌م له‌ ستۆديۆكه‌ى خۆم
جێكرد تا به‌ پارێزراوى بمێنێته‌وه‌.
08:40
This painting brought me
back to my childhood.
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ئه‌م نيگاره‌ منى بۆ منداڵيم گه‌ڕانده‌وه‌.
08:44
The interesting part
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خاڵى سه‌رنجڕاكێشه‌ر
08:46
was that it was now Mom,
sitting behind me,
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ئه‌وه‌ بوو ئێستا كه‌ دايه‌
له‌پشتى منه‌وه‌ داده‌نيشێ،
08:51
watching me paint her
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ته‌ماشاى من ده‌كات
وێنه‌ی ئەو ده‌كێشم کاتێک
08:53
working on that very same
machine she sewed at
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له‌سه‌ر هه‌مان ئه‌و مه‌كينه‌يه‌
دروومانى له‌سه‌ر ده‌كرد
08:57
when I sat behind her, watching her sew,
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كاتێ په‌نجا ساڵ له‌مه‌وبه‌ر، من
له‌پشتييه‌وه‌ دانيشتبووم
09:01
50 years earlier.
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سه‌يرم ده‌كرد کاتێک درومانى ده‌كرد.
09:07
I also gave Mom a project to do,
to keep her busy and thinking.
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4341
هه‌روه‌ها كامێرايه‌كم دا به‌ دايه‌ تا واى
لێ بكه‌م سه‌رقاڵ بێت و بيريش بكاته‌وه‌.
09:11
I provided her with a small camera
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كامێرايه‌كى بچووكم بۆ دابين كرد
09:14
and asked her to take at least
10 pictures a day of anything she wanted.
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داوام لێكرد به‌لايه‌نى كه‌مه‌وه‌ ڕۆژانە
به‌ دڵى خۆى دە وێنه‌ بچرکێنێت.
09:18
These are Mom's photographs.
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ئه‌مه‌ وێنه‌كانى دايه‌ن.
09:21
She's never held a camera
in her life before this.
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له‌ ژيانيدا پێشتر كامێراى
به‌ده‌ستييه‌وه‌ نه‌گرت بوو‌.
09:25
She was 93.
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1531
ئه‌و نه‌وه‌د و سێ ساڵ بوو.
09:53
We would sit down together
and talk about our work.
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3095
پێكه‌وه‌ دادەنیشتین و ده‌رباره‌ى
ئيشه‌كه‌مان قسه‌مان دەکرد.
09:57
I would try to explain
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هه‌وڵم ده‌دا ڕوونى بكه‌مه‌وه‌
09:58
(Laughter)
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1158
(پێكه‌نين)
10:00
how and why I did them,
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2922
چۆن و بۆچى ئه‌وانه‌م كردووه‌،
10:03
the meaning, the feeling,
why they were relevant.
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3150
ماناكان و هه‌سته‌كان چۆن
په‌يوه‌نديان به‌يه‌كه‌وه‌ هه‌يه‌.
10:07
Mom, on the other hand,
would just bluntly say,
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دايه‌ له‌لاى خۆيه‌وه‌، ڕاشكاوانه‌ دەیگوت:
10:10
"sì,"
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1174
ئه‌رێ،
10:12
"no,"
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نه‌خێر،
10:13
"bella" or "bruta."
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2135
باشه‌، يان خراپه‌.
10:15
(Laughter)
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(پێكه‌نين)
10:17
I watched her facial expressions.
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2200
ته‌ماشاى گوزارشتى ڕووخساريم ده‌كرد.
10:21
She always had the last say,
with words or without.
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4873
هه‌ميشه‌ دوا شتى،
به‌ وشه‌ يان ڕووخسار دەگوت.
10:28
This voyage of discovery
hasn't ended with Mom.
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3766
ئه‌م گه‌شتى دۆزينه‌وه‌يه‌
له‌گه‌ڵ دايه‌ كۆتايى نه‌هات.
10:33
She is now in an assisted
living residence,
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3476
ئێستا ئه‌و له‌ خانه‌ى پيران ده‌ژى
10:37
a 10-minute walk away from my home.
149
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2334
ده‌ ده‌قيقه‌ له‌ ماڵه‌كه‌ى منه‌وه‌ دووره‌.
10:41
I visit her every other day.
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1867
هه‌موو ڕۆژ نا ڕۆژێ سه‌رى لێ ده‌ده‌م.
10:45
Her dementia had gotten to the point
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1754
خه‌ڵه‌فانه‌كه‌ى گه‌يشتبووه‌ خاڵێک
10:47
where it was unsafe for her
to be in my house.
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2351
سه‌لامه‌ت نه‌بوو له‌
ماڵه‌كه‌ى مندا بمێنێته‌وه‌.
10:50
It has a lot of stairs.
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1600
قادرمه‌ى زۆر.
10:54
She doesn't know my name anymore.
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2200
چى ديكه‌ ناوى منى له‌بير نه‌ما بوو.
10:58
(Voice breaking)
But you know what? That's OK.
155
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2233
(پچڕانى ده‌نگ)
وه‌لێ ده‌زانن؟ ئه‌وه‌ ئاساييه‌.
11:02
She still recognizes my face
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2531
ئه‌و هێشتا ڕووخسارم ده‌ناسێته‌وه‌
11:05
and always has a big smile
when she sees me.
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3849
هه‌ميشه‌ كه‌ ده‌مبينێ
زه‌رده‌خه‌نه‌يه‌كى گه‌وره‌م بۆ ده‌كات.
11:10
(Applause)
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6761
(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
11:23
(Applause ends)
159
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1150
(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان ته‌واوبوو)
11:25
I don't take pictures of her anymore.
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2467
چى ديكه‌ وێنه‌ی ناگرم.
11:28
That wouldn't be fair
or ethical on my part.
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2785
ئه‌وه‌ ناداد پەروەرانە یە ونائيتيكى
بوو له‌لايه‌ن منه‌وه‌.
11:32
And she wouldn't understand
the reasons for doing them.
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2967
هه‌روه‌ها چىتر له‌وه‌ تێنه‌ده‌گه‌يشت
بۆچى وێنه‌ ده‌گرين.
11:36
My father,
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1150
باوكم،
11:38
my brother,
164
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1150
براكه‌م،
11:40
(Voice breaking) my nephew,
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1372
(پچڕانى ده‌نگ)
برازاكه‌م،
11:46
my partner and my best friend,
166
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2461
هاوژينه‌كه‌م و نزيكترين هاوڕێم
11:49
all passed away suddenly.
167
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1864
هه‌موو كتوپڕ كۆچيان كرد.
11:51
And I didn't have the chance
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2018
فرسه‌تێكم نه‌بوو
11:54
to tell them how much
I appreciated and loved them.
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پێيان بڵێم پێزانينم هه‌يه‌ بۆيان و
كه‌ چه‌نده‌ خۆشمده‌وێن.
11:58
With Mom, I need to be there
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3933
له‌گه‌ڵ دايه‌ ده‌مه‌وێ له‌وێ بم
12:02
and make it a very long goodbye.
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ماڵئاواييه‌كى دوور و درێژى لێ بكه‌م.
12:09
(Applause)
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(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
12:20
(Applause ends)
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(چه‌پڵه‌ ته‌واو بوو)
12:22
For me, it's about being present
and really listening.
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بۆ من، مه‌سه‌له‌كه‌ ئه‌وه‌يه‌
كه‌ ئاماده‌ بم و گوێبگرم.
12:27
Dependents want to feel
a part of something, anything.
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کەسانی پشتبه‌ستوو ده‌يانه‌وێ هه‌ست بكه‌ن
به‌شێكن له‌ شتێک، هه‌ر شتێک بێت.
12:30
It doesn't need to be something
exceptionally profound that's shared --
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پێويست ناكات ئه‌و شته‌ هاوبه‌شه‌
شتێكى تايبه‌تى قووڵ بێت
12:35
it could be as simple as walks together.
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ده‌شێ ساده‌ بێ، وه‌ك
پياسه‌كردنێکی دوو قۆڵی.
12:38
Give them a voice
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2023
ده‌نگێكيان پێ ببه‌خشه‌
12:41
of interaction, participation,
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تێكه‌ڵاوبوونێک، به‌شداريكردنێک
12:44
and a feeling of belonging.
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2544
دروستكردنى هه‌ستێ كه‌
به‌وانه‌وه‌ په‌يوه‌ستى.
12:48
Make the time meaningful.
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وا بكه‌ كاته‌كه‌ مانابه‌خش بێت.
12:52
Life, it's about wanting to live
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ژيان بريتييه‌ له‌ ويستى ژيانكردن
12:56
and not waiting to die.
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نه‌ك چاوه‌ڕێكردنى مردن.
13:01
(Applause)
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(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
13:11
(Applause ends)
185
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1150
(چه‌پڵه‌ ته‌واو بوو)
13:14
Can I get a wave and a smile
from everyone, please?
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3865
ده‌توانن سڵاو و زه‌رده‌خه‌نه‌يه‌كم
بۆ بكه‌ن هه‌مووتان، تكايه‌؟
13:18
(Laughter)
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1499
(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
13:20
This is for you, Mom.
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1400
ئه‌مه‌ بۆ تۆيه‌ دايه‌.
13:23
(Camera clicks)
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(چركه‌ى كامێرا)
13:25
(Applause)
190
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5682
(چه‌پڵه‌لێدان)
Translated by Suzan Jamal
Reviewed by Koya University

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tony Luciani - Artist
Tony Luciani picked up a camera in 2014 to document his aging mom's struggle with dementia, beginning a four-year-long voyage of discovery.

Why you should listen

Tony Luciani picked up a camera in 2014 to document his aging mom's struggle with dementia, and it was the imaginative expression of the collaboration that propelled his work internationally. After more than 40 years as a full-time painter, Luciani garnered worldwide attention with this four-year-long photography series. Their voyage of discovery, expressing the benefits of inclusion and participation within a creative medium, has gone beyond the boundaries of recognizing it as just a personal visual diary.

Luciani graduated from Toronto's Ontario College of Art in 1977 with prestigious honors. At age 21, he was encouraged to continue with his fifth-year post-graduate study in Florence, Italy. It was there that he found maturity while carefully observing the historical paintings of the Renaissance Masters. Upon returning, he was promptly accepted for representation by a well-respected and established Canadian art gallery.

In defining his work, Luciani prefers to be placed in a tradition of realism, which is both interpretive and characterized by focused observation. As a photographer, he likes defining his imagery as an "obvious extension" to what he already creates as an artist.

Luciani's art can be found in private, public and corporate collections globally. An unabridged edition of one-hundred photographs titled "MAMMA, In the Meantime" is in the collection of the local chapter of the Canadian Alzheimer Society. He is represented by Loch Gallery in Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary.

More profile about the speaker
Tony Luciani | Speaker | TED.com