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"Thursday's Child" Explores the Aging Process

Stephanie Brunia is a photographer who lives in Oxford, Iowa. One of her favorite subjects is her father, Steve. Her work is on display right now in Café Baratta in the State Historical Building. It’s a unique exhibition titled Thursday’s Childinspired by a moment when Stephanie noticed her dad's age in a way she hadn't before.

“Some of my dad’s aging became more apparent. Our rhythms were just a little bit different than they used to be. He walked a little slower, his hearing was not quite what it used to be," she says. "It was nothing extreme, but I felt the change and I wanted to explore the subtleties of that change.”

Credit Stephanie Brunia
Gesture 2152, 2014

Now that the project is getting more attention, Brunia says she's had several conversations about the aging process, and she's struck by the feelings of anxiousness and negativity that growing older brings.

“We live in a culture that is really uncomfortable talking about aging. In fact a lot of people cringe when I say I’m taking photos about my father aging, and they just think like, 'Oh my gosh, he’s willing to let you do that?' Because we have a pretty negative view [of aging],” she says. “Remaining present and not being anxious about the future is what I’m attempting with this project.”

On this Talk of Iowa segment, Charity Nebbe talks with the father-daughter duo.

Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa