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Facing Facts Again

Over the last year or so we have been working with a professional artist on a project exploring older people's sense of self through portraiture. The project has been funded by the Arts Council England, Derbyshire Primary Care Trust, and 28 individual sponsors.

Project InformationA portriat by Jan Flamank

Artist Jan Flamank worked closely with the members and staff at four Day Centres across Derbyshire. Each participant has actively chosen to be a part of this project, and includes people aged between 72 and 102. The Day Centres provide real support for older people from 24 villages across Derbyshire, many of whom have lived and worked in rural communities all their life. 

 

The twelve people portrayed have all been actively involved in the development of their portrait, as real participants rather than passive subjects. The small images in the portraits are informed by extended conversations with them, offering a glimpse into their diverse, full lives.

  

The portraits have been displayed in various venues that are significant to that person, making them a visible part of their community. The venues they chose included a fish and chip café, a working textile museum, a cricket pavilion, village hall and local pub.

 

After an exhibition on the Chatsworth estate in November 2011, each portrait has been given to the older person to keep, as part of their family heritage.

  

Our shared aim is to offer a joyous and positive counterbalance to the invisibility of older people, and the negativity and denial about ageing so pervasive throughout our culture; and which often renders elderly people as weak or irrelevant. This is a rare and active counterbalance to this, rejoicing in real people and the overlooked beauty in ageing, and celebrating the individuality and wisdom in long lived lives.

 

There are more pictures available on another website showing some full portraits, selected parts of others and some of the additional pictures telling stories around the portraits.

 

The final evaluation report for the Facing Facts Again project is now available on our website.

Statement from artist, Jan Flamank 

Artist Jan Flamank with one of her paintings

 

This has been a really wonderful project, bringing together my love of working with older adults and my passion for making art that celebrates real people, not the digitally altered ‘celebrities’ we are so used to. My work is community based and participatory, and it has been a rare delight to work alongside everyone at Age UK Derby and Derbyshire.


I knew I would meet fascinating people, and I have been very moved by the life stories they have generously shared with me. It wasn’t possible, or appropriate, to include all that we talked about in the artwork– but the portraits offer a flavour of the person, and the uniqueness of their lives. The small collaged images were informed by the many lovely and meaningful conversations I had with each person, and I intentionally left space in the final portraits, both to highlight their faces, but also because they all still have life to live, and enjoy.

 

It has been such a joy to see it all through, from the very first idea to the final exhibition. My warmest thanks go to all the 12 participants, and the staff and members who made me so welcome in their Day Centres. I hope they enjoyed it all as much as I have.


I am also very grateful to our two main funders, and in particular to the individual people who believed in the project and so kindly gave their support to it.

 

For more information plase contact Jan. Email: operaticlaugh@virginmedia.com or Tel: 0114 258 4157

Quotes from participants

“I’m so glad you came. I’ve started thinking about things I haven’t recalled for so long.  My married life was all art and cricket, and it’s a very long time since I talked with anyone who knows about art. I’d really not like to loose you now. You’ve filled such a hole for me”

 

“What’s important is that you’ve expressed us as real people, the situation of older people today, without being sentimental. I’m so delighted with it.”

 

“That’s made my day, well my year actually. Thank you so much. My family will be amazed that we actually got in to see it again. It’s brought back so many happy memories. I used to scrub those stairs, all the way up. And sometimes your family don’t think about going, and it’s not where they want to go any more. I don’t know who was more excited about us going in – you or me.”

 

“What I most enjoyed was you talking with me, and explaining it all very clearly. My children are very surprised at me having my portrait done. They can’t believe it, but they liked the photos."

 

“Oohh, I’m flattered, and I’ve enjoyed it all. Something different. And it brought back nice memories for me. I haven’t told my family yet – its’ a secret. I’ve had some lovely walks round Chatsworth, so it’ll be alright to be there."A section of a portrait by Jan Flamank

 

“It’s amazing that somebody wants to paint me wrinkly old face. It’s lovely actually. I never thought that would happen.”

 

Quotes from visitors to the Chatsworth exhibition

“I felt that the portraits offered a beautiful insight into the wonderful lives of these people who I didn’t know but felt real admiration and affection for, which came entirely from your portrayal of them. I loved it, I really did.”

 

"It was a touch of inspiration to highlight their histories and the interplay between that and the portraits made for a new approach to portraits painting. Vivid and memorable interpretation of people who are mostly ignored or stereotyped.”

 

"I loved your portraits and found them very interesting. The actual portraits were very striking and I loved all the little references to each person’s life. I imagine the work generated fascinating memories of rich lives. The richness came over in the portraits somehow"

 

"How lovely and unusual to see portraits of very elderly people; it emphasised how rarely they are represented. Congratulations on producing such a powerful and important body of work. I could really see the attention that had gone into creating the portraits and the care you took to show them in their individuality.”

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