Who is afraid of Seniors?, 2005

The project Who is afraid of seniors? is dealing with social topic considering old people and their problems. Because the number of old people in westerns societies is constantly increasing the issue is getting more and more important for future. Actual statistic foresees that in year 2020 there will be over milliard of people in the world older than 60 years and 75% of them will be residents of western countries, the oldest state will be Japan and the oldest continent will be Europe which is already nicknamed Old continent. Within Europe the oldest state will be Germany and Slovenia will not be not far behind.

Oldness is the fact which is concerning almost everyone and with demographic triangle from the beginning of the 20-ist century changing in to a square in which all three generation are represented almost equally, because of this facts it will be necessary to revalue and change the opinion about oldness and politic of retirement. We will have to face the stereotypes which lead us in an ageism, discrimination of senior citizens and oldness.

Maljevic Black Square integrated in a society graph. Within the aging population seniors and their interests will play an important role also in a media space, and that could lead in to reduction of dictate of youth idealization in media space. Video which I made for the project shows a switching of TV channels but with the difference that on every channel you could see only old people. The video shows the opposite side of today TV programs, where the cult of youth dominates in media. With hypothetical model of our near future I try to illustrate the state where low natality and longer life age is leading us. Medicines already let us live longer but only for those who could afford them, for those they become the important part of daily nutrition, which is in project illustrated with a birthday’s cake made completely of tablets. The ready made object; handbag filled with old newspapers is an invention of one old lady which find out for her protection against purse smugglers, that we can read about in everyday newspaper. From newspaper announcements I also found out what are the most wanted character lines of ideal partner by the seniors opinion.

The topic of oldness is very complex and for each one different. Works for the project just try to point out some problems and aspects of ageing in a context of today’s increasing aging society.