{"id":96468,"date":"2025-09-26T09:38:35","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=96468"},"modified":"2025-10-07T08:57:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:57:20","slug":"a-familys-story-of-dementia-in-cameron-mcleods-the-crickets-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/a-familys-story-of-dementia-in-cameron-mcleods-the-crickets-song\/","title":{"rendered":"A Family\u2019s Story of Dementia in Cameron McLeod\u2019s “The Cricket\u2019s Song”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"An<\/div>\n

Who is suffering?<\/h4>\n

At some point in the life of a family assaulted by dementia in one of its many forms, this question may emerge in a rare moment of clarity. While the loss of mental acuity and the capacity to both recall and comprehend one’s own life appear to devastate the family member who primarily suffers them, as their personality dissolves so does their capacity for sustained comprehension of their predicament. As one person gradually disappears, only those left behind fully experience their loss.<\/h4>\n

This is the truth of Cameron McLeod\u2019s<\/a> The Cricket\u2019s Song<\/em>, a photo essay focusing on the last weeks of the photographer\u2019s father\u2019s life, but looking back to reveal a history of loss covering three generations. While Cameron\u2019s father, Blain, is the principal subject here, both Cameron and his mother, Jayne, appear as well. And Blain\u2019s father, Kenneth, is present in the form of typescripts of his poetry, including the poem that gave this essay its title. Considerable attention is given to certain specifics, including scenes set in western Michigan, where the family resided when the depicted events occurred. Both the elder men were victims of Parkinson\u2019s, a particularly cruel disease, the progress of which cannot be reliably predicted. And while the artist says nothing about this, he is documenting not only his grandfather\u2019s and father\u2019s fates, but very possibly anticipating his future as well.<\/h4>\n