Disintegration by Kate Farquharson

Disintegration

In photographing the ailing health and dementia of the her great godfather Peter MacDonald Tow, Kate Farquharson provides unobtrusive glimpses into a crumbling life.

Disintegration investigates the imprints the human body leaves on its environment and upon other’s memories. It seeks to represent not only the ailing of the human body, but the dissolution of the mind. It is a lament to the collapse of great minds, the devastation of dementia and is an avenue of quiet contemplation.

Peter was a child of the Great Depression and grew up in poverty in South London. Through obtaining scholarships he was able to study Medicine at Cambridge University and specialised in Psychiatry. In 1955 his book Personality Changes Following Frontal Leucotomy was published. Peter travelled between England and Australia until the 1970s, when he settled in the suburb of Red Hill, Canberra.

Disintegration is exhibiting at Kudos Gallery, Paddington from 27th July - 6th August 2016.

As a child I perceived Peter as a strange eccentric hoarder. Despite this I grew to learn that he was incredibly charismatic, entertaining and kind. As Peter aged he became physically fragile. His house, a 1960’s bungalow in the suburb of Red Hill, and adjoining medical surgery succumbed to increasing clutter and eventually fell into disrepair. During 2009 whilst visiting him with my parents the onset of his dementia became apparent. It was from this point that I began documenting his home at 27 Fishburn Street.