Everyone has a story. To honour that story by listening and documenting it (be it through photography, music, writing or visual arts), especially near the end of life, is a gift not only to the storyteller and their family but also to the person holding space.
The tangible representation of this story (the document) is a legacy the family can hold onto long after the loved one is gone. But even more so, the time spent connecting with the storyteller, giving them the space to talk and reflect is, in itself, invaluable.
I had worked with Flutter Lyon before, photographing events and other ink pressing sessions. The sessions begin with a confetti-throwing ritual. Then as the person’s story is told Flutter Lyon weaves a representation of it onto half a paper; each detail of life a unique line. Eventually, the paper would be folded to create a symmetrical, butterfly-like artwork for the storyteller to keep.
Flutter Lyon was now training a fleet of students to hold pressing sessions for palliative care patients as part of Reflected Legacy at Liverpool hospital. In the series, you see the classroom practice, followed by Flutter Lyon holding a session with a patient as students observe. The patient and family receive the ink pressing and an audio recording of the session to keep.
