Nothing Gold Can Stay - Open Studio - A Reflection

Naomi Kendrick – Open Studio

1-5pm Saturday the 30^th of September

 

On the eve of International Older People's Day, artist Naomi Kendrick is opening her studio to show her latest work 'Nothing Gold can Stay', A new series of drawings which evoke thoughts and discussion on life, mortality and how we approach the ageing process. Naomi will be Joined by Patty Doran, a social gerontologist from the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group at the University of Manchester. Patty’s research focuses on how communities can support our ageing population.

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On a rainy Saturday, Patty and I welcomed people to ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’ an open studio showing my recent drawings (see previous post). Having noticed the drawings becoming a catalyst for conversation about ageing and mortality, during their making, I wanted this work to be shown in a way that encouraged these conversations further. As part of her research Patty is interested in having these conversations too, particularly on the absence of preparation for and discussion about dying. This was the first event of our collaboration, a testing ground for future ways of exhibiting the drawings and generating discussion.

 

The people that visited us were generous, not only with their time, but in revealing their thoughts and feelings on these sensitive subjects….

 

Visitors came to me in the studio to see the drawings one or two at a time on arrival, they then went to a different room where Patty was waiting with tea, cake and conversation about her research.

 

Some people responded to the drawings with tears and reflections on their parents, or their own ageing. Others filled the same space with compliments and questions about the physicality of the drawings; the materials, tools, process, how I would preserve them… Two people told me straight that they didn’t want to ‘go there’.

 

“Beautiful” “thought provoking” “I like the red one best”.

 

There were many conversations about skin; changing texture, bruising, raised veins in hands, how skin “gives you away” projecting age regardless of how you feel on the inside in any given moment. And of course, the extremes we take to mask it.

 

Someone was captivated by the idea that the more I worked on the drawings, the more time and effort I put in, the more fragile they could become, increasing their chance of destruction. Someone else put it more directly. “I think this is an act of madness, but I think you know that. And I like it”.

 

Tea and cake were welcomed (and devoured) as a “counter to the subject matter”.

 

One person was frustrated with a lack of conversation amongst her peers about their own ageing and deaths (beyond ailments and medication updates). And how the actual words death and dying are never used “even in church”, instead we pass on, are lost or gone.

 

I was told I am too young to think about ageing (I’m 45) but that it is ok as the drawings grew from my feelings about my parents aging. Which I thought was interesting, are we not all aging? is it not something we should all think about, talk about?

 

One of the questions from a visitor that particularly stayed with both Patty and I was where are the right spaces to talk about these things?

 

 

 

This Open Studio Event was part of the New Mills Festival