Photo exhibition highlights the elderly

The Light Draws the Lines of Your Face exhibition highlights nine personal stories about elderly people living at home in Helsinki. The Helsinki City Theatre’s audience outreach project, which began last year, will culminate in a touring photography exhibition in spring 2022, which has emerged from unhurried encounters between artists and subjects.

In the autumn of 2021, photographer Sonja Tolonen and community artist Martta Pesonen met the elderly in their homes. In addition to taking pictures, the encounters included getting to know a person in front of the camera. The process also touched on the relationship of the elderly to photography and appearing in the photo. For many, being photographed was rare – some of them had last been properly photographed fifty years ago. One wondered aloud why old people are photographed in the first place.

“We wanted to give the participants the experience of being seen and heard. The process played an equally important role in the outcome. We see our participants as beautiful and valuable, and always worthy of a picture, as equal members of society. We hope that society will also see them that way,” says Martta Pesonen.

The elderly are often referred to as a cohesive group. However, the people in the photos cannot be lumped together in one or two words: they have an age difference of up to 20 years, they have a wide range of work histories, some have children and grandchildren, some live alone and some with a partner, and they come from different backgrounds. After all, they are all from Helsinki.

“We hope that these images will also allow you to reflect on your own relationship with the elderly and ageing,” says photographer Sonja Tolonen.

Since May 2021, the Helsinki City Theatre has been implementing the Art in the Homes of the Elderly project, which has brought participatory art activities into the everyday lives of the elderly and home care clients in Helsinki. During the project, participatory art sessions and the resulting art souvenirs have been carried out, as well as small Christmas concerts in Helsinki’s care homes. Participatory workshops and a remote backstage tour have also been organised for the elderly living at home. During the project, volunteers working with the elderly have also been trained in the use of remote cultural services and students in interactive encounters with the elderly. The project will culminate in the spring of 2022 with the photo exhibition Light Draws the Furrows of Your Face . The Art for the Homes of the Elderly activities are part of the Helsinki City Theatre’s audience outreach. The project is funded by the City of Helsinki.

Exhibition locations and times of the Light Draws the Lines of Your Face photo exhibition

Redi Shopping Centre 10.3.-27.3.2022

Malmitalo 28.3.-10.4.2022

Maunulatalo 11.4.-2.5.2022

During the spring, the exhibition will also be seen at the Kustaankartano Service Centre and in the foyer of the Helsinki City Theatre.

Further information: Project Coordinator Hanna Nuorala, hanna.nuorala@hkt.fi

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Helsinki City Theatre, Ensi linja 2, 00530 Helsinki, www.hkt.fi