Elder

Intergenerational

Intergenerational … An interesting buzzword … Got me thinking …
Imagine if it were possible to travel back in time. What would my younger self like to say to the world if she had the knowledge I now have after walking through seven decades of life?

She might start by saying something like this:

“You, who do nothing to keep me safe from predators…
You, who deny me the opportunity for decent education…
You, who are the gatekeepers to all the jobs I might do well…
You, who judge me according to your own standards and biases and culture…
You, who sully my world and reward my oppressors…
You, who would bully and drug me into submission and compliance…”

She might remain steadfast in her own self-affirmation and add something like this:

“I have no need or desire to listen to your schemes or advice…
I reject that your manipulative and superstitious religions hold any sacred truth…
I do not wish to hear any excuses for why I must approve of your personal preferences…
I have no desire to follow your corrupt brand of politics…”

Retro

Or would that be retrospect? No matter … Looking back looking ahead or looking ahead to looking back while I try to downsize, clean up, whatever I think to call it on any particular day.

I keep finding bits and pieces of a past life … To an older person that is a way of saying “I was young once too”

So here I am looking at a pice of art I did in my younger days, possibly early seventies, although I cannot recall. I also have no idea what ever happened to the original. All I have left is a photo I took of the piece.

I was going to post the picture but something doesn’t seem to be working.

So then I look at a picture of an installation I did a few years ago incorporating something I had made around mid seventies. That too, does not appear to be working.

So much for my attempts to use “new” media.

Then again, I bet Facebook will let me post my image.

OK I hear you Gabe. Thanks for the memory jog. It’s not that I can’t do any of that techie stuff. It annoys me th even have to try. Well, I bet I’ve forgotten more of that time-wasting stuff than many people my age have even tried.

image

Never Forget

I am the first artist-in-residence at the Doucet-Hennessy house in Bathurst, New Brunswick. My new exhibit opens to the public on Wednesday, July 3

By the way, I strongly identify as Irish. Yes, technically I am Canadian and one might suppose that today I would be celebrating Canada Day. However, for reasons I’ll not go into at present, I prefer to celebrate the Heritage passed down to by my ancestors, the Hennessys and O’Tooles among others.

The Don’t Forget You’re Irish art exhibit opens to the public July 3. Drop by Tuesday to Saturday for a cup of tea and a chat at the historic Doucet-Hennessy House in Bathurst, New Brunswick. If you play Celtic or Acadian music or any sort of traditional folk music, we hope to have informal music sessions on Saturdays from 2-4. Bring along your acoustic instrument and join us. Music workshops are in the planning for September.

This exhibit is open to the public from July 3 – 28 in Bathurst, New Brunswick. More about the exhibit in this press release: https://surmonbabillard.com/art-exhibit-dont-forget-youre-irish-doucet-hennessy-house/”>Irish Canadian family settled on Bay of Chaleur in Canada.