Owen Daniel Zilles
Viaticum
“May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.”
Viaticum is a series of vignettes of the spaces and time after my Abuela suffered a massive stroke that was classified as a life-ending event that left her without the use of her right side and extensive brain damage.
According to her wishes, life support was taken away and she was given Last Rites which are the last prayers given to a person shortly before death, including three sacraments: the Eucharist, Penance and the Anointing of the Sick.
Viaticum is a part of the Last Rites where the Eucharist is given to ensure that a person dies with Christ who promises them eternal life. Viaticum is an undying testament to her life, the impact that she had on me and the love that I have for her.
Owen Zilles is a Toronto-based photographer. His work largely investigates the dynamics of landscape and meaning, specifically looking at liminality, the concept that represents the changing state when one is on the cusp of new understandings. Owen’s work challenges the viewer’s perspective through a manipulation of images, creating alternate understandings and images that spark self-reflection and meditation.