Between the Lines is a body of work which includes both portraits and versions of the conversations during the sitting with people between 76 and 94 years of age. Artist and community activist, Mary Whale, seeks to raise awareness about ageism and authentic ageing.
In the author’s own words:
“We live in a youth-oriented society that shudders at the thought of looking old. The human aesthetic industry is booming, making billions of dollars annually from people resisting ‘the look’.
It can be viewed as a complex sociological phenomenon. I have come to believe if we could adjust our lens (wide angle) for human beauty to include that of the ageing aesthetic, we would appreciate and therefore value this particular beauty.
This adjusted lens may facilitate the deserved respect towards our human ‘antiques’. Could we grow to embrace the last part of life as an important developmental phase in our life journey?
The message is twofold: encourage a richer lens for human beauty and undermine internal ageism. Further, this book contains character studies that will lead to an understanding of the aesthetic and the value of the sitting process for both the sitter and the artist.”
