Ageing as a Reference
Vårutstillingen 2024 at Fotogalleriet (Oslo, Norway)
24.05.-30.06.2024
Liquida Photofestival 2022 (Turin, Italy)
05.5.-29.5.2022
In my family, no one has lived past their late sixties. This has made me reflect on how relative the ageing process is. I’ve often wondered if this is based on environment, lifestyle, or other factors that dictate how we age. Well aware of my family history lies the existential question of whether I will ever live past 70.
My mother also died in her late fifties as a result of mental health issues, as well as rapidly declining physical health over time. My father also recently died, also in his late sixties. This led me to critically question why life expectancy among refugees in Norway (and in the West) is so much lower than among ethnic Norwegians, for example. Since I have no reference on how I will look as an older person, it has led me to explore the topic further.
The result is an installation that generates images of myself from young to old based on a self-portrait. Through this technology, I can create a continuity to my genealogy, as well as create my reference for ageing. The work also serves as a critical study of the life expectancy of Asian refugees.
Photos by Tor Simen Ulstein
