Based on the life and death of the artist’s father, The Last Words of Joseph consists of six portraits completed in 2016. These images were constructed from photographs of Joseph Rodick, five of them discovered by the artist, each showing him at different ages, from early childhood to death. Embedded in each image—except for that final picture, the original photo taken thirty minutes after his death—are a few words of handwritten text. Dying and unable to speak, these words were written in his Joseph’s shaking hand. A man’s last words.

I am not ready to go

Did I fall?

who can be trusted?

it’s all over

I wanted to see

Work from The Last Words of Joseph can be found in the permanent collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art.