Don Brody – Shh! – Create* Inspire* Community* Art* Design* Music* Film* Photo* Project
A project by Jamaican-American artist Don Brodie reflects on the realities of aging and loss. Brody earned a degree in photography from Parsons The New School for Design in New York. Brody’s work is rooted in personal and cultural experience, exploring identity, texture and emotion through still and moving images. He is also the co-founder of Forgotten Lands, an independent publisher dedicated to authentic Caribbean art, culture and dialogue. Brody began working on the series in 2020. It focuses on long-ignored health diagnoses in his own family, specifically his father’s dementia and the death of his only sister. The project attempts to trace the journey of grief, aging and legacy. It reveals the quiet strength it takes to care for your loved ones while facing your own vulnerability.
Aging and mental health remain taboo in many Caribbean families. “Leave it to God” is a common phrase that provides comfort but often leaves behind a deeper struggle. Through this work, Brody explores the tension between cultural expectations and the realities of care, blurring the lines between family archives and artistic inquiry. Shot in New York, Maryland, Florida, and his sister’s resting waters in Jamaica, the body of work captures candid moments, formal portraits, and quiet details that tell the evolving family story.
Don Brodie entered and was shortlisted for our 2025 Booooooom Art & Photography Book Awards.
