2021 Paris Photo–Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards Exhibition
According to Jody Quon, Leaving and Waving by Deanna Dikeman is a “wonderful record of life, love, and sorrow.” Taken over the course of twenty-seven years, Dikeman photographed the simple act of her parents waving goodbye as she left their home after each visit. In many ways, the book acts as a family album—documenting life moments, seasonal changes, the birth of Dikeman’s son. When the shift from black-and-white to color photographs occurs, there’s a sense of sorrow with the discovery that Dikeman’s father no longer appears in the frame. There are no captions in the book, only dates in the bottom corner that indicate the years passing. “Waving goodbye to your loved ones is a universal act, and relatable to all,” notes Quon. “When I flip through these pages, I see Deanna’s parents lovingly saying goodbye, and am simultaneously seeing my own parents in my mind.”