Shades of Grey symposium & Exhibition including Jo Lee's 'Wave' & Family III
Symposium Date: Thursday 8 July 2010, 3 - 7pm
Exhibition Open to the Public: 8-15 July 12-5pm
Venue: Project Space, ESA Patrick Studios, St. Mary's Lane, Leeds. LS9 7EH.
FREE - LIMITED PLACES. Please RSVP to Judit Bodor at judit.bodor@esaweb.org.uk.
Worldwide, the population aged 60 and over is growing faster than any other age group. By 2025 the number of people in Britain over the age of 60 will outnumber those under 25. The greying of the population challenges policy makers in every field of society. But what questions does an ageing society bring up for the arts?
Shades of Grey is a half-day symposium exploring how art and artists respond to issues of ageing: expectations, perceptions and fears, loss and memory and generational boundaries. The symposium is a follow up to ESA's 2009 commission by Leeds-based artist Jo Lee who developed new work in collaboration with members of several care homes around Leeds through funding from Leeds City Council/NHS (Strategic Partnership and Development). The project resulted in an installation that explored issues of isolation and dignity and investigated life stories through focusing on photographs and memories. Wave was presented on 1 October 2009 at Leeds City Museum linked with the International Day Of Older People theme of 'older people and Leeds; past, present, future' and since then in Leeds Civic Hall, Leeds Library and Donisthorpe Hall Care Home (Moortown).
Speakers confirmed for the symposium include Mick Ward and Caroline Sharkey from Leeds City Council as well as artists Jo Lee (Leeds), Garry Barker (Leeds) and Geoff Broadway (Birmingham).