Age of Enlightenment

As my son reached the end of his seventh year I became more aware of his increasing consciousness. According to Canon Law, this is the age at which children attain the ability to reason and have moral responsibility. However, in his eighth year he truly began to navigate the world in his own way and started to examine the concepts of death, betrayal, and the complexity of being human. I could see how his perception of life would be more infl uenced by others outside of the family. The process of holding on and letting go, experiencing a loss of innocence and a deeper understanding of his individuality started during this ‘Age of Enlightenment.’

When I conversed with other parents of children approaching the age of reason, I began to realize how critical a turning point it is not only for the child, but for the parents too. I explore this familial transformation using The Braque Family Triptych, a religious altarpiece, to look at the shift in domestic connections.

I create portraits using contemporary families with a child who has reached the age of reason, also called the age of discretion. The children wear a red piece of clothing as a metaphor for their relation to the adults by blood. Each child holds onto their favorite toy from childhood, some more closely than others, representing their readiness or hesitancy to accept their entry into this period of life. The parents express their own desire to hold on, let go or assist their child with tools they will need as they mature into adulthood symbolized by such objects as a book for knowledge, a dog for loyalty and a pair of owls for wisdom. These "altarpiece" style artifacts honor the significant-yet often overlooked-transition and the families portrayed.