My father, Michael Pain, was diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in 2022. During the preceding year, he had experienced increasing memory loss and feelings of detachment. Following the death of my mother in 2022, he underwent a formal assessment that confirmed the diagnosis. After several years of living independently with support, he was provided with 24-hour live-in care. He has since moved into a residential care home, where he now lives.

This artwork is an attempt to capture his thoughts, memories and anxieties as they gradually faded over the past few years. Much of the person he once was can still be seen in his eyes, yet so much has been lost.