Capturing Love, Longing, and Disappearance in a Couple's Last Days
In 2011, photographer Sarker Protick’s grandfather John developed cancer.
The onslaught of illness in old age can bring a difficult end to an otherwise happy life. In 2011, photographer Sarker Protick’s grandfather John developed cancer. He had once been an active, passionate clergyman, but at the age of 80, he and his wife Prova moved to the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka to live near their children. Soon after, Prova had a heart attack and became just as frail as her husband.
Protick’s way to process losing his grandparents, who had once been figures of strength in his life, was to photograph them. He documented them resting, dressing, shaving, embracing, and sleeping in their sparsely-decorated, white-washed home. Since they couldn’t go out, it made them happy because it gave them something to do. “My grandfather even framed a couple pictures in his bedroom,” Protick told Hyperallergic.
But though John survived cancer, Prova became paralyzed and grew increasingly sick, so that Protick eventually stopped photographing her. “I just didn’t want to show that weakness,” he explained. Infused with love, longing, and disappearance, the resulting series What Remains pays tender tribute to a couple married for 50 years and quietly living out their last days together.
