| More than ten years ago, internationally
acclaimed photographer Ed Kashi
and writer Julie Winokur set out to
document the new phenomenon of
growing old in an era when the fastest
growing segment of society is people
over 85. They traveled from coast to
coast, exploring the parallel universe
of our elders. Their journey resulted
in Aging in America: The Years Ahead,
a groundbreaking exhibition, film,
and book that explore the uncharted
territory of longevity. Featuring the
extraordinary black-and-white photographs
of photojournalist Ed Kashi,
Aging in America is an emotionally
charged body of work that shatters
the stereotypes of aging. From burlesque
dancers in their 70s to geriatric
prison wards, this exhibition reveals
the unprecedented highs and the
prolonged lows of growing older.
This compassionate, often surprising
account confronts our existing
attitudes about growing old and asks
whether society is prepared to handle
an aging population. Aging in America
dares viewers to see old age through
a new lens.
The exhibition consists of 70 prints
(24 inches x 36 inches) that are larger
than life. From a 90-year-old heavy
machine operator who still works full
time to a foster care program for older
adults, from an 80-year-old couple getting
married to the dying moments of
an AlzheimerÕs sufferer, this exhibition
is a powerful and realistic portrayal of
what it means to grow old. They are
accompanied by text panels and extended
captions that give the viewer
a deeper understanding of the issues
and individuals portrayed in the images.
The exhibition's companion book
of the same title is available directly
from PowerHouse Books.
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Ed Kashi. FRANKIE MANNING. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL LINDY HOPPERS...CELEBRATES HIS 84TH BIRTHDAY...1995, Gelatin silver print. © Ed Kashi |
