Head On at 107: Nonagenarian
Christine Ansorge
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Free
Christine Ansorge. Series of portraits of South West Victorians who are aged in their nineties.
Nonagenarian is a series of portraits of South West Victorians who are aged in their nineties. Many of the subjects hail from the rural city of Warrnambool, with some from the surrounding towns of Terang, Port Fairy, Koroit and Hexham. The exhibition focuses on nonagenarians who live independently in a time where negative views of old age are common, particularly in Western cultures. With notions of health, attractiveness and self-worth closely tied to youth, the latter years of life are generally perceived as a time of frailty, loneliness, dependency and poor physical and mental functioning. Older people are often considered less competent and less able than younger people rather than recognised for their knowledge, wisdom and experience. It is these stereotypes that play a powerful role in shaping how we think about and interact with the elderly and also how these people may view themselves. Nonagenarian therefore aims to challenge negative perceptions of ageing. Each portrait reveals an independent, alert, healthy and active community member who has not let age slow them down. Behind each pair of eyes there is evidence of a rich and experienced life. Each face maps the flow of time revealing success, hardship, joy, sorrow, contentment, disappointment, effort, upheaval and opportunities seized and lost. Hands add narratives of their own, telling of events, of work and of life.
Head On at 107 draws together 8 photographic artists. The series have been selected to sit together yet stand apart, representing different approaches. The curatorial process gives equal weight to each artist’s work and unifies the exhibition space. The artists collaborate on installation, promotion and social media, supporting each other through the process of exhibition.
Artists: Allan Coker, Christine Ansorge, Fiona Ruck, Francis Minien, Kate Ballis, Kelly Slater, Natalia Mroz, Suzan Pektas.
Curator: Sandy Edwards
Christine Ansorge is a Melbourne based photographer. She graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Photography at Photography Studies College in Melbourne, 2016, and subsequently worked for three years as a press photographer in Alice Springs and Warnambool. Christine now spends her time teaching visual arts and pursuing fine art photography, with a focus on portraiture.
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