Mawmaw is a long-term documentary project by photographer Anthony Wilson—an intimate body of work that will also become a photobook set to be released in 2026. The images were taken over the course of several years in West Virginia, one of the U.S. states most affected by the opioid crisis, poverty, and incarceration.

Mawmaw: Anthony Wilson’s Project

At the heart of the project are grandfamilies—households where grandparents, and especially grandmothers (hence the title Mawmaw, a local colloquial term for grandmother), are raising their grandchildren. The reasons behind this alternative family structure are often tragic, but Wilson portrays them with a deeply empathetic gaze, avoiding any sense of pity.

Each photograph offers a window into domestic intimacy, quiet resilience, and the unconditional love these grandmothers provide daily—turning struggle into strength. The project reflects on what it means to care, to reorganize one’s life, and to hold a family together in the most challenging times.

With Mawmaw, Anthony Wilson not only documents a reality too often overlooked, but also restores dignity and gives a voice to a generation that has once again taken on the responsibility of nurturing and protecting. While the book won’t be released until 2026, the images he’s shared so far have already begun to stir something in the hearts of viewers—especially in ours.