Old Man, Seated

by Michael R Hayter · Bristol, GB

This piece, depicting a solitary old man, seated and looking out at the viewer, is one in a series of four on the subject of old people with dementia. The idea came from the experiences of visiting my mother who was in a care home for those suffering with the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The people in the home seemed so broken and vulnerable that it was painful to behold. I started drawing versions of these poor souls onto discarded pieces of MDF (which came from a dismantled plinth for a sculpture - hence the screw holes) as it seemed to reflect the sense of damage and neglect (by greater society) that these people were experiencing. The images as individuals serves to emphasise their states of isolation. Incidentally, I sold one of the series at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2018.