UCA SA - The Centenarian Portrait Project by Teenagers

The Centenarian Portrait Project by Teenagers

Posted Feb 15, 2022 in News

The Centenarian Portrait Project by Teenagers is a community arts project that promotes intergenerational friendships, celebrates life at 100 (in all its forms) and fights the negative ageing stigma.

Each rendition of the program involves 100 teenage artists and 100 centenarians, who undergo a life-affirming intergenerational process. This culminates in an art exhibition presenting 100 portraits of 100-year-olds by local teenage artists. For most artists it is a chance to meet a centenarian for the first time; for centenarian subjects, a chance to share their story and for both generations a memorable exchange of perspectives.

Each artist is matched with their subject geographically or linguistically. The Embraced team makes the initial introduction, ensuring pairs to get to know one another in a supported environment. The artists visit their subject multiple times; mapping out sketches, taking photos and playing the occasional game of dominoes. The artists then return to their studios to complete their art-work.

The South Australian rendition will culminate in an exhibition in June 2022 presenting portraits of 100-year-olds by local teenage artists. After each exhibition concludes, the centenarians are gifted their portrait as a keepsake.

To gain a better understanding of the project visit the following link to watch a video about the initiative: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/653301941

The safety of participants is of the utmost importance to the project. If it is unsafe for face-to-face meetings to take place in March, remote interactions including letter-writing, zoom sessions, phone calls and onsite sketching sessions through (closed) windows will be used.

This initiative is sponsored by Estia Health; the Commonwealth Department of Health; the Office for Ageing Well, SA Health and supported by the Australian Human Rights Commission.