What is golden in life? This question is made more relevant today by the current economic crisis but it is a question we must all address as we age. 'The Golden Years' is a phrase commonly associated with retirement and aging. Are they truly golden? It is right for the young to label those far off years as golden? Does this devalue the present? If it is so golden, why do we associate so many negative feelings with retirement homes and nursing homes? 'Golden' will through art and essays give a voice to the residents, family, and staff of an assisted living community and allow them to address these complex and relevant questions.
'Golden' will involve the community of Morningview Assisted Living in Greensboro, NC. Residents, family, and staff will be invited to participate and help shape the outcomes of the project which will include an exhibition and book created by artist and author Todd Drake. Drake works closely with communities to make works of art that address issues of relevance to the common human experience. A professional artist and art educator, Drake is a 2004 Rockefeller fellow from UNC Chapel Hill. His mother, Elizabeth Shaw is a resident of Morning View.
For this project, Drake will draw portraits of community members in pen and ink.
Portraits will be paired. Each participant will chose another person of significance from the assisted living community with which to be paired. The pair of participants will then be asked to write a short statement or essay that expresses what they consider as golden in life. These statements along with paired portraits will be included in a book titled 'Golden.'
Copies of the portraits will be given free to each participant with additional copies available for purchase.
The book will be affordably priced (between $10-20) and will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds donated to Morningview Assisted Living for use by their activities program.
The original drawings will be displayed at Morningview Assisted Living.
Copyrights of all images will remain with Todd Drake.
There will be no start up costs for Morningview or participants. All participants or their Power of Attorney will sign a release to participate. Morning View will allow staff time to pose for the drawing of their portraits- not to exceed one hour at any one sitting. Drake will be available for all shifts with Morningview arranging appointment times in advance and in collaboration with Drake.
The majority of portraits will be drawn during June, July, and August of 2009. Book design and printing will occur in the fall of 2009.
Exhibition and book premier party to be decided.
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