From October 01, 2022 to October 31, 2022
''I suppose you have received many letters from desperate mothers. Here is
mine.'' My sister wrote these words to a neurologist in 1997 when my
nephew was two years old.
one, one thousand... is an unconventional documentary exposing the
impact a rare and incurable form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome,
has on a mother and son's experience of life-long care. At 28, David is nonverbal,
experiences daily seizures, has scoliosis, severe autism, and
requires 24-hour care. After years of pursuing conventional approaches to
stop my nephew's seizures, Lori turned to nonconventional healers,
working in energetic and mystical realms. Her love for David and seeing
beyond their circumstances fuels her dedication to his care and her own
personal growth. These photographs witness Lori's everyday challenges as
a single parent and devoted caregiver while giving David a voice.
With David's minimal communication, I've always wondered what he sees,
thinks and feels. His personality is sweet and he seems to have a good
sense of humor but, we don't know his internal experience. Multiple artistic
interpretations are used to convey David's unknown perception of the world
and Lori's spiritual practice. Herein lies the intersection between what is
''real'' and what is outside our realm of understanding. Color references the
possibility he experiences synesthesia, a condition in which one sense is
experienced through another, such as seeing color when hearing a sound.
Photographs include Lori's handwritten narrative.
one, one thousand... refers to Lori counting how long each seizure lasts
and is a different kind of love story. When I asked David's permission to
make this project, I did not know if he would respond. In a rare and
astonishing gesture, he leaned toward me with sustained eye contact. I got
my ''yes.''
Curator: Harvey Stein, Photographer, Teacher, Lecturer, Author and Curator
Debe Arlook is an award-winning American artist working in photography. Through color and diverse photographic processes, Arlookâs conceptual work is a response to her surroundings and the larger environment, as she attempts to understand the inner and outer worlds of human relationships. Degrees in filmmaking and psychology inform these views. Her work is exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. In 2022 she received the CENTER Social Award Honorable Mention, Critical Mass Top 50, International Photo Awards Official Selection and was nominated for the Las Fotos Advocacy Award. She writes for the PhotoBook Journal, is an advisor for Pasadena Photography Arts, and founded Arlook Printing Services. Her work is featured in Lenscratch, Fraction Magazine, Strange Fire, L'Oeil de la Photographie, and Frames Magazine. She teaches at the Los Angeles Center of Photography and John C. Campbell Folk School.
