Public space is where people meet, talk and clash. But it is also a place where older women are often invisible. Contemporary culture worships beauty,discriminating against age in favour of youth. This is especially prevalent in media representations of women that confront us with impossible ideals of beauty, and the ageist stereotypes in mainstream culture that position older women as less attractive sexually – and on the job market.
This is the background and inspiration for the billboard project HOMAGE TO OLDER WOMEN in Saint Petersburg. The billboards present a much more diverse and powerful image of older women – paying tribute to their wrinkles, wisdom and ways by bringing new images into public space. 115 women artists from Russia, Turkey, Morocco, and Scandinavia are invited to present their personal take on HOMAGE TO OLDER WOMEN in photographic artworks exhibited on billboards in Saint Petersburg – an alternative to the commercial advertising that dominates public space worldwide. The invited artists of different generations all present their personal view of an older generation of women.
The project is a tribute, a celebration, and an opportunity to create a crossgenerational,
cross-border community presenting a different view of older
women.