Ageing: Russian photographer Natalya Reznik captures decline and hope
The eye massager is supposed to heal tired eyes (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Apart from a brief spell of marriage, Olga has always lived with Nadezhda (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
As Nadezhda struggles to find something, her frustration grows and patience runs thin (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Nadezhda used to do her exercises every day. Now she only does them rarely (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Relatives visit during a holiday. Nadezhda doesn't feel she has much in common with them (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Olga is tired after preparing food for her birthday. Nadezhda comforts her (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Funeral banquet in memory of my Reznik's grandfather Aphanasy Vasilyevich (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Nadezhda says see can sometimes see the light when she looks through the kitchen window (Image: Ageing, Natalya Reznik, 2011 — present)
Russian photographer Natalya Reznik has spent eight years documenting the life of her grandmother. 92-year-old Nadezhda Pavlovna’s existence echoes the physical and inner struggles of getting older, yet remains infused with a certain optimism.
Reznik’s project Ageing offers a snapshot of her grandmother’s life in Perm, where Nadezhda has lived with the photographer’s mother, Olga, for over 25 years.
Her physical weakness and decline are paired with moments of hope — despite physical weakness, near blindness and deafness, Nadezhda maintains a sense that everything will be fine once again. This optimistic spirit leads Nadezhda to invest in a number of “healing” gadgets such as an eye massager, which she believes will help her see again.
Discover more of Natalya Reznik’s work here.