A Joint Project of a Mother and a Daughter. Irma Gershkowitz and Leann Shamash
What do we see when we see the elderly? As we breeze by, we may observe stooped shoulders, crooked backs, gnarled hands, uncertain gaits, wrinkled skin. What do we see when we see women who once walked with a confident stride now shuffling, grasping their walkers as their balance leaves them?
These are the questions that local artist Leann Shamash set out to explore photographing her 96-year-old mother, Irma Gershkowitz. Seventeen photographs from Irma G: A Century of Hats and Spirit are now exhibited at Mayyim Hayyim through December 12.
Leann explains:
This was a shared project with my mother during the final year of her life where I photographed her in a century’s worth of hats. To say that Irma G. was an animated subject would be an understatement. When she donned a hat, her sadness and anger disappeared, and she beamed. In front of the lens, her moodiness dissipated like heavy fog. She laughed, she posed, she flirted and teased. At times her eyes closed as though she was elsewhere, and she raised her hand upwards as though grasping for something unknown. The project transported her back in time physically and perhaps spiritually, as well.
Most of these photos were taken in my mother’s small room. Her walker became the staging ground. A variety of hats representing the past century were procured and a variety of my mother’s scarves added color and variety to the photos. For most photos my mother applied her own lipstick and rouge; but on days where her tremors made that difficult, I applied the lipstick myself. I did not attempt to soften my mother’s wrinkles, bruises or errant hairs. They create the entire package of who a 96-year-old woman can be.
My mother delighted in preparing for the photo shoots and in concocting creative poses. Whether she was wearing a beret, or a straw hat, or a kerchief, she reveled in seeing herself in the photos and noted how lovely she looked. She especially loved sharing those photos with others; these photos were a gift that validated both her past and her current identity. Most of all, the project gave her the gift of time with her daughter and I, her daughter, was given the gift of spending meaningful time with my mother during her final year.
Irma G died at the age of 96 in January of 2020. We remember her with a big smile.
You’re Invited to the Art Gallery Opening & Artist Talk
September 18, 2025 – 7:30pm
The Gallery @ Mayyim Hayyim
1838 Washington Street
Newton, MA
617-244-1836