When Tony Luciani’s mother was no longer able to look after herself, the Canadian-Italian artist took it upon himself to become her full-time caregiver. But instead of just taking care of her basic needs, Luciani decided to include his mother in his art so that she’d feel more productive.

“I noticed how alive she felt by participating,” said the artist to Feature Shoot. “Her youthfulness and eccentricity started to show through”. And as you can see in these playful pictures, his mother still has plenty of joie de vivre despite being over 90, and through the project her son also found a new perspective on his own life. “The more I reflect on Mom’s story by posting these photographs on social media, the more people who see the pictures express a profound association by relaying their own experiences with age and dementia. These images have struck a chord with many individuals. Life is not about waiting to die. It’s about wanting to live.”

More info: Tony Luciani | Instagram (h/t: featureshoot)