Most people would simply ignore, some would seem concerned when coming across this sight in the streets of Bristol. When approached, the old woman starts talking about her life, her concerns and worries, regrets and how she’s doing. This heartbreaking piece struck me so hard, I’ve decided to use it as one of the examples of participatory art that truly inspires me. This piece of art hopes to bring the viewer to the attention of ‘Loneliness in old age’.

Looking closer, young adults and children who aren’t even related even approached the lady helping to adjust her pillows and to just keep her company.

I chose this piece because it truly inspires and motivates me to be able to produce this level of art that really brings the audience into the issue and really strikes a chord in them. I’m sure most of the pedestrians who’ve had interacted with the old lady would probably pay a visit to the ageing parents or grandparents the following weekend.

 

Memory Jar Project

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History 

http://museumtwo.blogspot.com/2014/06/adventures-in-evaluating-participatory.html

Here is a video link of the Executive director of the museum, Nina Simon giving a ted talk about the museum. In it, she shares about the memory jar project along with powerful and memorable incidents she encountered during her time in the museum from the participation of the visitors.

A small gallery is filled from floor to ceiling with shelves of Mason jars. Visitors are invited to “bottle up” a memory in a jar, using craft materials to fill the jar with evocative objects and a hand-written label to tell their story. There were no written instructions, just a mural that suggested what to do and labels that prompted people for their name and memory.

During my research of the memory jar project, I came across this particular example mentioned by Nina Simon in her talk. Here is that memory jar:

This particular jar really touched me, as it comes to show that the participatory art really has the power connect and bring people closer together and allowing people to really share personal stories in the above activity and it really inspires me to also produce something like that.

 

References:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/559713059912439705/?lp=true