A Mirrored Memory (8 Photos)
All Images © Tom Hussey
Texas based photographer, Tom Hussey reflects on his recent collaboration with the pharmaceutical company, Novartis for their ”Reflections” campaign.
”Based on an earlier portfolio image, I was awarded a job for an Alzheimer’s drug called the Exelon Patch made by Novartis. The Exelon Patch helps patients maintain long-term memories during the early stages of this horrific disease. I was fortunate to be included in a lot of the early concept stages for the campaign. I knew immediately location scouting and casting were going to be very important to evoke the emotions associated with the disease. The campaign has been extremely successful for the promotion of the brand and people universally respond to the images. After we shot the campaign, the images went into testing and legal review. They were so well received that the images, all 10 of them, were printed full page in the brochures and other collateral.” -Tom Hussey
Tom Hussey’s compelling photography has recently been featured in Communication Arts 2010 Photography Annual. To view more of his work click here.
Tags: Alzheimer's, Exelon Patch, Novartis, Tom Hussey
July 22nd, 2010 at 12:35 pm EEDT
just love these pictures and the story they tell!
July 22nd, 2010 at 1:08 pm EEDT
wonderful series! i usually dont like the digital overretouching effect but here its more subtle and it just fits!
July 22nd, 2010 at 1:21 pm EEDT
What a fresh idea! So powerful and yet so simple. I’m amazed we haven’t seen this before.
July 22nd, 2010 at 4:55 pm EEDT
This is great!!!!
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:04 pm EEDT
I really love the concept and the whole message it conveys. Memories are precious.
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:00 pm EEDT
This reminds me a LOT of the double portraits by Chino Otsuka. http://www.chino.co.uk/gallery/IFM/ifm_1.html
In that collection she Photoshops modern day images of herself into photos of her as a child. I find them all surprisingly powerful and much less “processed” seeming than these.
July 23rd, 2010 at 10:14 am EEDT
Beautiful concept. And brilliant pictures.
July 23rd, 2010 at 1:52 pm EEDT
This is so brilliant! Everything is so well thought out and executed.
Amazing series!!!
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:58 pm EEDT
Comes a time in all our lives when we reflect on our youth. Very evocative series, imaginatively executed. Nice marriage of photography and PP that works effectively.T
July 24th, 2010 at 1:49 pm EEDT
These images usually happen only in our own minds. And yet here they are out in the world to explore who we were with who we become. Poignant, moving, sad, and joyous. A reminder to “live in the moment” because life is fleeting.
July 24th, 2010 at 10:58 pm EEDT
These are absolutely beautiful. Very moving.
July 25th, 2010 at 2:07 am EEDT
thanks
July 25th, 2010 at 4:14 pm EEDT
wow, powerful images! great concepts!
July 25th, 2010 at 4:23 pm EEDT
hate to overuse the cliche, but these pictures do speak a 1000 words – bravo
July 25th, 2010 at 4:26 pm EEDT
Lovely, they tell such true stories. Well Done.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:31 pm EEDT
Bellisime foto
July 25th, 2010 at 4:39 pm EEDT
These are amazing-I’m now thinking of doing the same thing-only in reverse-Teenagers looking into the mirror and seeing their adult selves.
July 25th, 2010 at 5:40 pm EEDT
I love what these pictures represent. Nothing is more important to people than who they are, and a huge part of that is where they came from, hence the memories in the mirrors.
July 25th, 2010 at 7:20 pm EEDT
brilliant series and excellent creative thinking. WOW. Just blown away by this
July 26th, 2010 at 2:31 am EEDT
Great images, fantastic concept and technique. Bravo to Tom Hussey for this series.
July 26th, 2010 at 5:35 am EEDT
Boy—–these really bring back memories—–
If only—-
July 26th, 2010 at 1:53 pm EEDT
I just finished an art installation about Alzheimer’s disease & my father-in-law using photographs, 3-D objects & a video. I love your idea of usig a younger version reflected in the mirrow. Are the younger versions true photos of the older people? That would have been amazing if they were! The soldier photo does look like the elder man.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:58 pm EEDT
These images really evoke such a strong visual storyline. a great series storytelling imagery.
July 27th, 2010 at 8:27 am EEDT
outstanding quality
just PERFECT
July 28th, 2010 at 1:26 pm EEDT
being alzheimer sucks
July 28th, 2010 at 11:07 pm EEDT
whats with the the patches on the peoples shoulders, i see it on # 2 5 6 and 7.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:56 pm EEDT
Very moving photos. Well done. Having watched someone close suffer through this illness over a period of time before passing, images highlighting a mind still intact and strong are powerful. Often the person afflicted is physically strong and capable, but the mind withers away resulting in what referred to as “The Long Goodbye”. It’s never clear when it starts and when it really ends. By the time person passes, it can be month and often years since they’ve even recognized you much less had a conversation. Hence, there is no real goodbye.
Hats off to Novartis for their research and efforts. We so many of the baby boomers expected to have this disease, a cure is urgently needed.
July 29th, 2010 at 2:13 am EEDT
….. all I can say is this photographer, Tom Hussey, is a genius as a photographer and has an extremely wonderful gift !! His collection here, “A Mirrored Memory”…. should become a classic memory…. as good as any of Ansel Adams’ collections I have ever seen !!
July 29th, 2010 at 5:37 am EEDT
Love it! The photos, the concepts, the message, just love it!
Will treasure every moment in my life & be thankful coz life is good.
July 29th, 2010 at 4:47 pm EEDT
These actually are beautiful images and it could have so easily cheapened what Alzheimers sufferers go through but I think that was avoided here.. very moving.
@skateoutlate – they were part of an advertising campaign for an “Alzheimer’s drug called the Exelon Patch made by Novartis. The Exelon Patch helps patients maintain long-term memories during the early stages of this horrific disease.” as it says in the description.
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:55 pm EEDT
a beautiful collection of stories!
August 5th, 2010 at 10:01 am EEDT
These are really great, brought tears to my eyes and made me a little more afraid of getting old. At the same time, they made me look forward to being old as well. Great photos, thanks!
August 7th, 2010 at 9:53 am EEDT
As a 49 year old woman, whose had both parents suffer with this horrible disease these photos touch my heart. As a writer, even I find it difficult to express my emotions here . . . so I’ll simply say thank you.
August 7th, 2010 at 10:32 am EEDT
I love it , simply astoniching : Old me and New me
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:00 pm EEDT
Very well done, depressing as hell.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:39 pm EEDT
Ow. The light levels in these photos, as well as the colors, have been so digitally altered it gives me a seizure to look at them. Tone that stuff down, man.
August 26th, 2010 at 3:23 pm EEDT
Nice images. I wish that I had a mirror like these which worked the other way round.
August 26th, 2010 at 4:18 pm EEDT
bill…bill……you know…it makes me disappointed in human beings… The ‘levels’? I almost don’t know what to say to you…. you are so-ooooo missing the point… These images deal with a truth…and someone has gone to an immense effort to create these images/pieces of art… Of course they’ve been digitally altered… I…think they’re uplifting, and full of ‘story’… Honestly, bill!
August 28th, 2010 at 6:50 am EEDT
Wow Im really impressed with the whole concept well done, its so difficult to come up with something new and fresh nowadays, you should be really proud. I love the light levels, I think it gives the images that grainy old feel that you need in these images at it does represent memories and old age in itself. Bit of a paragraph but love it well done!!
August 29th, 2010 at 12:26 pm EEDT
amazing. the story the reflections tell are sad and deep
August 30th, 2010 at 4:56 pm EEDT
Really enjoyed those pictures , sometimes felt the same way myself
August 30th, 2010 at 4:58 pm EEDT
Arron H your full of it
September 1st, 2010 at 10:13 am EEDT
why do they have a sticker on the arms a round one..
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:10 pm EEDT
Beautiful work… what a story you tell with your pictures!
September 4th, 2010 at 2:02 am EEDT
5/19/13 EXPECT US.
September 4th, 2010 at 3:38 pm EEDT
Super photo – picture…
September 12th, 2010 at 4:55 am EEDT
Oh wow there amazing, its almost as if the artist really cares about these people’s lives. These digital works really capture the human essence.
September 12th, 2010 at 4:57 am EEDT
also dude with comment about wanting a mirror that works the other way, I’m right there with ya
September 19th, 2010 at 5:51 pm EEDT
These are very touching photos, Thought provoking. I find them extremely moving.
Now – Everyone just needs to read – the answer is above in the artists description.
This was a project for Novartis, a pharmaceutical company. The artist was commisioned to make them for an ad. The patches are called “Exelon Patches”. Many of my patients are on them.
The idea here is that while they all have Alzheimers, with the help of this patch, they still CAN remember what their life was like when they were younger.
September 19th, 2010 at 5:54 pm EEDT
very cool
September 21st, 2010 at 12:37 am EEDT
my aunt mary has alzheimers, I wonder what she sees in the mirror
these are truly beautiful photos you are a visionary!
September 28th, 2010 at 5:28 pm EEDT
These are so depressing.
October 2nd, 2010 at 2:39 pm EEDT
This is a wonderful collection. If you are old enough you really understand. It is always a revelation to not see that younger person looking back from the mirror. These are very well done. I would love to see these in person in a gallery some day.
October 11th, 2010 at 12:38 am EEDT
These are moving because they don’t only evoke the emotions associated with Alzheimer’s. More generally, they remind us of the inevitabvility of time and time’s effects.
October 14th, 2010 at 8:34 am EEDT
Yesterday and today. Whom the Gods love, die young. Ain’t it the truth.
November 6th, 2010 at 7:11 pm EEDT
Awesome. Really touching and yes, the stories these pictures tell are beautiful
November 13th, 2010 at 3:31 pm EEDT
Very well composed and beautifully processed photos. I was doing a series of selfportraits in mirror (see website) some years ago and I am still loving this concept. However as my pictures were mainly made for joy and fun, these are really touching.
November 16th, 2010 at 2:48 pm EEDT
Great! Thank you for this blog post…
November 21st, 2010 at 2:55 pm EEDT
Great images, but why are so many people wearing nicotine patches?????
November 21st, 2010 at 7:05 pm EEDT
Very sad, poignant, sobering, cause for a pause and reflection. Very-very-very good.
December 4th, 2010 at 3:43 am EEDT
WHY ARE 3 OF THE SUBJECTS WEARING A NITRODERM PATCH VISIBLE ON THEIR ARMS? iS THIS A COMMERCIAL?
December 9th, 2010 at 10:41 pm EEDT
Absolutely beautiful.
December 20th, 2010 at 2:05 pm EEDT
Muito lindo esse editorial ..
January 14th, 2011 at 6:52 am EEDT
What is this patch that’s on the bottom three peoples shoulders?
February 13th, 2011 at 11:12 am EEDT
depressing…
February 13th, 2011 at 8:43 pm EEDT
@fugu
it’s an excelon patch for alzheimer’s patients.
February 16th, 2011 at 8:31 pm EEDT
Incrível. Alguém fez mesmo um grande trabalho aqui. / Incredible. Someone really did a big job here.
Livia/BRA
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:51 am EEDT
Wtf… that’s the first time I cry just lookin’ to some still pictures. (that says enough about the amazing job this photographer and the image edition has done to this photos)
March 11th, 2011 at 4:49 pm EEDT
Brought a tear to my eye. I just loved this work
March 13th, 2011 at 3:47 pm EEDT
The fire fighter hit close to home, i work in a fire hall and that picture rings true for me. Right down to the plaque on the wall and the photo on the table. We have a retiree, my first captain, going through this very thing.
March 16th, 2011 at 3:13 pm EEDT
This is a beautiful idea. Congratulations !
March 22nd, 2011 at 12:39 am EEDT
Wow that is really so beautiful and amazing pictures. I found this page from Stumble upon. Thanks for get me back in my past.
March 25th, 2011 at 2:54 pm EEDT
These pictures get the point across well and do a wonderful job of evoking emotion. Thank you for sharing your work.
April 3rd, 2011 at 2:08 pm EEDT
I have stumbledupon this page three times….. I love it so much!!! It is refreshing everytime i go back to it
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:14 pm EEDT
so amazing.
May 26th, 2011 at 12:18 am EEDT
Beautiful picture… I really liked it….
August 6th, 2011 at 1:33 pm EEDT
I really like that first picture, though all are very cool.
August 8th, 2011 at 10:49 am EEDT
cool images
January 6th, 2012 at 1:01 pm EEDT
These photos are so moving, I love them!
February 4th, 2012 at 8:51 am EEDT
I did a picture like this with my son recently, it was good but these are brilliant – well done!
Wedding Photography Colchester
March 4th, 2012 at 8:22 am EEDT
I do wish that the EVIL ILLNESS will disappear soon!
March 28th, 2012 at 11:13 am EEDT
So amazing, very touching
April 7th, 2012 at 12:14 pm EEDT
I found the images somewhat disturbing, I know we all will get there unless we pass away from an accident, but I do not get comfort them, I guess it depends on your age and other factors the effect these will have. I am moved by the attempt to prolong the memory of alzheimer patients having lost my mother to the disease.
April 10th, 2012 at 10:08 pm EEDT
Who We Really See Ourselves As
That’s the Title of These Works of Photography
Alzheimer’s is a Reverse But True Process,
If You Think of It.
We See Ourselves As Who We Strived To Be In Our Life
Who We Are To Others
Who We Are To The World
And Our Contribution To Society
You All Need To Stop Being So Negative And Sinical About Aging
You Soon Will Be There====OLD And Never To Return
God Bless To All
God Bless To All Alzheimer Diagnosed Individuals
God, Thank You For Being God
Knowing, Our Past, Present, And Future Destiny