happiful september 2021

memory lane
One Hundred
Years: That’s life
We speak to Jenny Lewis, the portrait
photographer who captured images of
100 people from ages 0–100, about the
things ageing teaches us about life
Writing | Kathryn Wheeler
Aroko is a one year
old, and doesn’t have
much to say. “Daddy.”
reads the quote next to
his portrait – the second in a lineup
of photographs spanning the ages
0–100. The collection is the latest
endeavour by portrait photographer
Jenny Lewis, who has spent the past
three years capturing people in her
local community of Hackney, in
London – the results published in
a book, One Hundred Years: Portraits
of a community aged 0–100. On the
pages, next to striking, candid shots,
subjects share revealing quotes and
short stories from their lives, each
one as touching as the next.
“I had spent five years working
with women the day they had
a baby, another five years
photographing
artists in their
studios, and I
suppose I lifted my
head from these two
long-term projects
and wondered what else was
going on at the other two ends
of the timeline,” says Jenny, as
she points to where the project
began. “Looking back, I may have
also been questioning my own
mortality, and the vulnerability of
being human. A few close friends
my age had died of cancer, and
my dad had been very ill. I also
had come to terms with my own
autoimmune disease, rheumatoid
arthritis, so I think I may have
just wanted to figure out what
was possibly coming next, and to
Aroko
reflect on what had passed. I’m
in my late 40s now, so it felt like
a good time to look around and
find out how other people were
managing.”
It’s a natural journey, one that
many people may be able to
relate to – when we experience
bereavement, trauma, and
grief, we might find ourselves
reflecting on our lives, our
priorities, and our hopes, desires,
and goals. A sentiment that is
perfectly, and simply, captured by
Jenny’s 49-year-old subject Shana. >>>
happiful.com | September 2021 | 89