The Trouble with Boiled Sweets

What is it like to be old? And what is it like to live in a care home? In an ageing society such as Britain, the number of people of state pension age account for 19% of the population, which is more than children under the age of 16. Despite the growing population, most older people face increasing financial, health and mental disadvantages. To find out what our future life might be, three artists, Yan Preston, Phil Reynolds and Patrick Smith have spent many days at Oliver House care home in York.

Initially introduced to the home by the New Dynamics of Ageing project from the University of York, the artists used photography, drawing, digital printmaking, and a digital screen, each gave their unique reflections of time spent with the elders within Oliver House. Nine children also visited the home and produced wonderful drawings. Their collection of works look at differing perspectives on the ageing process and seeks to elevate the status of our elders through a less cynical directive. It is also a celebration of the collaborations involved so far and a platform to develop relationships between generations and concerned thinkers.

The first exhibition of the works was held at York City Screen, 8th-19th January 2010, it was then moved to Oliver House so the elders and their family members.

To know more about New Dynamics of Ageing, please follow this link:
http://www.newdynamics.group.shef.ac.uk/
To read Dr. Mark Blythe's paper on the subject, please download the PDF

Part of the material costs are kindly supported by the University of York, and Arts Action York.

Works featured in the slideshow:

All photographs are by Yan Preston.
All drawings and paintings are by Phil Reynolds.
All poems are by Patrick Smith.