Death is a universal experience for humanity. We are all affected by the end of the existence of other humans around us. They may be directly involved in our lives or may have heavily influenced our existence. Humans often find themselves yearning for a way to remember the existence of those who have died. The rituals and reactions to death vary greatly depending on not only on your cultural history, but also the familial upbringing will have a strong influence on an individual’s practices as well.
For me, I watched my family react differently to each person that had passed whether it was a family member, friend or acquaintance. We buried some, cremated others, and some we just went to a memorial service. These are all acts of Memorialism. I rarely revisited memorials of those close to me. I would only revisit the memorials if I was returning to a cemetery to mourn yet another loss. This made me interested in how everyone reacts to death. I have done various studies into the rituals of death, but mostly I am showing the reactions to death in a direct way through mostly physical memorials.
Ghost Bikes are a specific type of memorial with the purpose of bringing awareness to cyclists on the roadways. Automobiles often share the road with bicycles, and unfortunately, many cyclists succumb to death due to a driver’s lack of awareness of cyclists, badly maintained roads, and an overall lack of protection for cyclists. In some areas like Albuquerque, Ghost Bikes are considered descansos (roadside memorials), and are considered permanent. In other areas like New York City, bikes are often removed after a few weeks. This series of images was made to honor the lives lost and reiterate the importance of driving safely alongside cyclists while preventing their injuries including death.

Reece Michael Nord; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2021

John Anczarski; Acoma, New Mexico - 2021

John Garcia; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2021

Jimmy Warden; Rio Rancho, New Mexico - 2021

Nathan Krasnopoler; Baltimore, Maryland - 2020

Michael L. Hughes, Jr.; Baltimore, Maryland - 2020

Tom Polermo; Baltimore, Maryland - 2020

Alexus Lexy Cortez; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2020

Thomas Hollowell; Washington, D.C. - 2019

Emily Fredricks; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 2018

Benny A. Benavidez; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2017

John R. Yates; Baltimore, Maryland - 2015

Unknown Cyclist; Baltimore, Maryland - 2016

Christopher Jerome Sanchez; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2015

Adam Hollander; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2015

Amanda "Mandy" Annis; Chicago, Illinois - 2015

Heather Reu; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Dan Montoya; Sandia Reservation, New Mexico - 2014

David Sciera; Santa Fe, New Mexico - 2014

Scott Dwane Lane; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Chris Ore; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Michael Ryan; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Roy Sekreta; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Timothy Vollmann; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Hailey Nicole Ratliff; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Bill Alexander; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Michael Martino; Edgewood, Mew Mexico - 2014

John Dunn; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Paula L. Higgins; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

Matt Trujillo; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014

David Anderson; Albuquerque, New Mexico - 2014