A Long Goodbye

This blog post is brought to you by Alex Cerelli, Account Coordinator, MAVERICK.

Last week, at the Columbus Centre, our team supported the opening of MAMMA, In the Meantime – a

searing photographic exhibition by Canadian-Italian artist Tony Luciani. Four years ago, Tony’s mother

Elia broke her hip and moved in with him; it was then he noticed her memory beginning to fade and she

was diagnosed with dementia shortly thereafter.

A painter by trade, Tony began dabbling in photography and Photoshop after purchasing a new camera.

While testing out his camera in the mirror, Elia snuck into the picture at the last moment, providing the

inspiration for their artist-muse relationship.

Through interpretive realism and an eye for beauty, Tony captures an elusive intersection between art

and aging. Tony’s themes are universal – aging touches everyone. Approximately 600,000 Canadians are

living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. This exhibit is the medium through which Tony’s worlds collide at a

visceral and aesthetic level. MAMMA, In the Meantime demystifies dementia, tears down stigma and

baptizes the spirit.

I was lucky enough to sit in on Tony’s extensive interview with Toronto Life and listen to him speak

about a selection of photographs, how they came to be, his inspirations and his personal

interpretations. Most touching, perhaps, was hearing how much joy Elia’s presence has brought Tony,

despite dealing with the hardships brought on by dementia. The exhibit captures this, juxtaposing the

beautiful and the despairing, the sacred and the profane. Tony and Elia bring viewers on a journey of

love, role reversed and a son caring for his mother.

Villa Charities and the Alzheimer’s Society will display Tony’s photo exhibit until April 3, 2018, at the

Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Liya KFebruary 28, 2018