TALES OF SENESCENCE
TALES OF SENESCENSE
Victoria Reinsch
4
Page 8
SETTLED MINDS...
Page 26
WISE SOULS...
Page 44
PRIME APPARIATIONS...
Page 62
NATURAL EMBODIMENTS...
Page 80
CLASSICAL SPIRITS...
Page 98
RELAXED WITS...
Page 118
COLOR NARRATIVES.
Page 136
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It is about loosing oneself to a larger theme in history to be a part of a story, rather then being the story...
There is no here, no tomorrow without a yesterday... Ageing, as it is part of the cycle of life, wil be seen as what it is again- the process of becoming mellowed. We wil be awed and humbled by the emerging story of life and it is only the ones who experienced life, who can tell about it.Their stellar magnitude wil be blended back into social interactions and the public life: Their tales of life wil becalm us, help us understand and lead the way in times of chaos and distress. Times of wisdom-loss are over. Humans, as we are unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, we wil search the guidance of the matured. We get to understand again that age is not the end of the story, but the beginning...
SETTLED MINDS...
“By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.� Columbus ...are experienced The journey of these days is not about reaching from here to there, but from you to yourself. In this faceless world we are in search for an identity and so it seems only time can tell where we belong and who or what we are. In the meantime it is the matured that wil navigate us- they left the traces that we can follow...
photo by my home atelier
In times of human mobility it is a relief to travel down known roads. Maybe new to us, but we understand we don´t have to travel alone. It is now that it is important to understand the glory of the roots. Understanding the merit of the people in your world, appreciating the value of their discoveries and taking the time for it. Time, the probably most precious „thing“ in our modern society... nobody has any.
photo by Anna Wil iams
photo by Kurt F. Dominilk
But in this fast paced environment we have to pace ourselves down, sit back and listen. 13
photo by Werner Stadelmann
„Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.“ Auguste Rodin ...are down to earth The older man grows the closer he seems to get to the terra and need the cotact to soil.He understood where we come from.
Earthy values, like grandma´s vegetable garden are appreciated again. Financial disasters and confusion about the future bring back simple things like that
„Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother‘s grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it. And it grew 17 and became a handsome tree.“
...are devoted Multitasking is not the skil of this new era, but a deep devotion for a thing. The concentration of power wil enforce the affectionate to do better.
18
...stand strong As time leaves its marks, one knows what to expect and it is rare to be shook. Many are missing this, not only in the sense of lacking, but longing for it. If youth is in seek for backing- the doors to others are open and noone wil be left standing there.
photo by Ahmet G端l
22
„Sometimes the smalles things take up the most room in your heart.“ Piglet
Now and then we all get lost, but it is for those having or indicating an awarenessof things as they really are that achieve the most in life. Many things are fake or pretentious, but there is a refocus on authenticity.
...have self respect After a lifetime of stumble and falls, the ripened personality knows there is no need to doubt yourself. Somehow everything wil be figured out, but one can only have this certainty with amour propre.
„The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.“ Sonya Friedman
WISE SOULS...
...render character Self-regards steady the personage and a prowed knowing person is what is needed as example for others.
28
photo by Mikhael Timofeev
photo by Ver Lรถwenberg
Strength for us, but especial y for others wil reward us with a new lease on human conjunction. Young and old wil stand together and build a new collective life order. The matured generation wil build the roots for this interlacing.
...reached refinement
After a period fineness and precision of thought can be achieved.
...enlighten „I have fallen down from heaven, replied the man, and don‘t know how to get back again, couldn‘t you drive me up.“ Grimm tale, Wise Folks
photo by Andrius Repsys
...are mellowed This characteristic of maturity entails gentleness, wisdom and tolerance. Attributes crucial in out heavy hearted times. A simple smile can change the vicinity.
Having a full and pleasing `f lavor` through proper aging, that is the peace of mellow age. It is not global warming, but this positive warmth that wil enlighten the atmosphere.
photo by Mikhael Timofeev
„At last man appeared, joyous, healthy and vigorous, and begged God to appoint his time for him. Thirty years shall you live, said the Lord. Is that enough for you. What a short time, cried man when I have built my house and my fire burns on my own hearth, when I have planted trees which blossom and bear fruit, and am just intending to enjoy my life, I am to die. O Lord, lengthen my time...“ Grimm tale, The Duration of Life
photo by Klaus-Uwe Gerhardt
...see without seeing
„It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. Antoine de Saint-Exupery“ 41
exhibited at the stour gallery
Real values wil shif t again, thus being in the middle of the cyber era there wil be a refocus to time spend with others in the „real“ world, creative and crafted works are being of importance again. We have to reanimate our primal skil s..
PRIME APPARITIONS...
...appear magnanimous Living life and mastering all its ups and downs is a difficult, yet wonderful task to accomplish. Achievements are only of real value if we are able to share them. Generations giving a hand to one another- the choice for a sustainable entity that can withstand all the difficulties to come. “I am sharing my wisdom in a way that enriches the lives of those around me� unknown photos by Benito Cereno
photo by Irene Suchocki
Carmen Dell‘Orefice
...are tenderly matured If you don´t pretend to be something you are not and stick to what is given to you, in your prime years the grace comes naturally. It is this radiation that makes any age pulchritudinous.
50
There was a time when age stood for greed, stubbornness, and eccentricity. The elderly of our period have an underlying warmth and felicity in them.
„We all get the same amount of time to be every age, enjoy it while it is there and you wil have no regrets.“ Diane Pernet
photo by Jeffrey Vanhoute
...are nobel minded
„ Be noble minded! Friedrich Schil er Our own heart, and not other men‘s opinions of us, forms our true honor.““ 53
Story vs. discourse time... in the hushed lives everything has to go fast and faster. It is time to pace down and take an instance to discourse all stories for they shall not be lost. Magnificent lore of memoirs by the wise minds of the matured generations should be the cornerstone of new life tales.
photo by Ari Seth Cohen
...advanced their finesse Making the ordinary extraordinary, by embracing your own nature and the environment you life in. At some point in life it is quite indispensable to understand that we only have one period on earth given to us and we aught dive into it and indulge to the maximum. The refinement of our being here can only be achieved by the love for it.
58
photo by Mark Hardymon
...are tales of perfection And the story goes like this: take raw ingredients, add hard work, good and bad times, enrich with experiences and impressions, and let it ripen. The desire for precise workmanship, based on the accuracy of the creations of nature, prevails. The demand for mass and products quickly cobbled together is decreasing. This development is to advance for the tale to have a perfect ending.
typography by Bart Oomes
„Men however are so made, that when they are too well off they no longer value the blessings which come from God, but grow indifferent and careless.“ Grimm tale, the ear of corn 60
NATURAL EMBODIMENTS...
photo by Kurt Bouda
...with primary origins
„I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply.“ Words of God to Jacob in Genesis 35:11
Where are our origins?
66
We have to stop and ponder. With all the hassle of daily life we forget how amazing nature is. It offers so much... congenitally the human clings to inartificial goods. It was exactly in the sixties, youth time of our prime aged generation today that artistic and crafted goods were on the rise. The tide towards biological products is not new, but, wil remain and support healthy living as an intrinsic value.
by Peter Bottazzi and Denise Bonapace
...as plain reality What is real and what is not, the lines are often blurred. We have the so-called second lives and various personal profiles on several internet platforms. All this overload creates confusion.
68
It is important to esteem the simple things of life like the sound of the raindrops on the window...
...or the birds singing in the sky
71
photo by Klaus Uwe Gerhard
...are honest It is often simple to be untruthful, but sincerity is one of the primary traits. 72
“The veracity which increases with old age is not far from folly� Franois de la Rochefoucauld
Taking a jaunt outside the city and feeding the soul with the purity it has to offer. The senior citizen identified the given natural power, using it as a source of rebound.
„If you thing too much about the past your present is second hand“. Karl Lagerfeld
by Wil iams luggage
75
...purified
„The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts wil be purified, and God wil be in them“. Swami Vivekananda The older on gets he understands to take care of himself. Body and Soul. But the rendering must include the creations of nature as well, only then can we maintain this place we live in. photo by Henning Hraban Ramm
...rustically transfigured People are seeking for hand made things and in this sense the authentic products that are handcrafted within the community. Wonderfully weathered goods are part of this movement towards a new natural and rustic style. Hard heavy wood resembles stability, but yet our originNature.
79
CLASSICAL SPIRITS...
...act with grandeur With a slight touch of vanity remembering old solemn times.... age is not a sad static state, it is a concatenation of beautiful, interesting and affecting experiences, that ripen the personality.
photo by Anthropologie
In the days gone by a lady was a lady. There are some ladies stil , but they are in their golden years. A new epoch of selectiveness wil dawn. Not only the sartorial elegance is important. Knigge courses, antique furniture markets and young up and coming classical musicians are flourishing.
photo by Anna Wil iams
„A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use“ Washington Irving
Large sweeping gestures, the older mind enjoys the fullest. But of course with taste.
...have elevated concinnity The word elegance has never been redundant through out the last decades. But it has reached a point of merely being a phrase. These days it wil relive and enter a new blooming period of “real� sophistication. In order to protect this heritage, an il ustrious generation of mid-agers wil immerse itself to this elevated state of mind.
designy by Brandt Marke
Emmylou Harris
88
It has been in the last few years that matured models have been seen on the runways and in fashion advertisements. Younger generations are finally absorbing the raving beauty in a gracefully aged face. Wrinkles, unevenness and simply grey hair enhance the character of the older models and let them appear even more elegant then their younger colleagues. In addition, their age radiates a dignity, which at a young age can hardly be reached.
photo by Dieter Sch端tz
...are highly estimable The lifetime span is limited, this applies to all thing, not only the human. Everything runs thought its own cycle of time. After being in this world for a while, the life cycle might have taken youth and some of the physical strength. Yet mental power and a healthy activeness remain. The aged wil participate in the active creation of our new world and their knowledge is much needed.
photo by Ari Seth Cohen
photo by Renate Franke
design Roderick Vos
Dior Haute Couture SS 2009
Old core values are rediscovered and blended into modern life. The mixture of old and new is giving these goods true character.
“There was once upon a time a king...” most fairy tales
photo by Michael Jünemann
...remember heritage There is not the question of how to see the world these days, only a where. One way or another the aged have found a way to travel down the road of life. Having seen the world and its cultural sites they are equipped with found memories and an agitating foretime. These adventures of the past are the tales of today.
96
photo by Karin Jung
Listening to the tales of the matured, the glory of fade times can live on. Their memories wil graciously bestow the modern times with a special golden taint. The appreciation of age wil render an antique flavour to our existence.
...are time honored
Carmen Dell‘Orefice
RELAXED WITS...
“We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they are called memories. Some take us forward, they are called dreams.� Jeremy Irons
photo by Anna Wil iams
...let the soul swing
Finally reaching the point to understand things you can change and those you cannot. In order to make these distinctions it takes some experience- no problem for the clever wit. But where are these versed minds? It seems most people are on a constant stress level and can get out of this environment. Settled spirits wil serve as the example and sway us to find the right balance.
design ^vby F.O.B. Footwear
...seek casuality
Everything has its proper time. NaivetĂŠ of childhood, madness in youth, zest at the beginning of adulthood, responsibility as an adult. As an elderly person one has the opportunity and the ken to mix and match all these things.at wil .
105
...live sedate The process of aging is not only a development of a strong and stable character, but also the path to a softer, more generous heart. It is not the mother that is compliant, but the grandmother.
Leaving strict life measures behind and simply letting go. The importance is to enjoy the time given to us and within this span giving as much to our progeny as possible. Thereby earthly possessions are irrelevant.
“The last shirt has no pockets.� German proverb.
photo by Klaus Stevens
...are at ease
“My generation is the first generation of seniors who are young, working on I-pad, computers, cell phones, traveling and communicating with all the other generations. The generation gap disappeared. We are stil young.� Linda Loppa The aged have years of experience and all though they might not be natives in the cyber world and have to slacken the reigns, it is yet another field for them to discover.
Grace Kelly by Howell Conant
Old Time Computer by WoodGuy
photo by Rudi Verbeke
Once upon a time there was a sleeping man‌ ...his placid quiet sleep exuded so much serenity, that everything surrounding him fell into a restful sleep. When the seasoned man awoke, he looked around and discovered a new world, peaceful and calm. 111
...calmly appreciate “Time is free, but it‘s priceless. You can‘t own it, but you can use it. You can‘t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you‘ve lost it you can never get it back.“ Harvey MacKay 113
It is time to start a new fairytale, because the story needs some mending 114
To understand everything in this world is impossible, but at least with age it is possible to get closer to this conclusion. As every wrinkle has to tell its own story, it is natural that the grey haired generation got a little step closer to understanding it. This is knowledge that shouldn´t just fade. It is now during chaotic times that we wil return to old customs and rituals. And needless to say, the appreciation of family, with the older generation as an essential part of it. Give them respect and hence fore re-learn to listen.
and a better happy ending.
We need propitiation with all the aspects of the life cycle and in particular the phase after ripening. Senescence cannot be blended out any more and it shouldn’t. It can teach us to value every day and to understand the beauty of life.
116
photo by Filipe Oliveira
...SEE THE COLOR NARRATIVES
TANTED LIFE... Whether bright and daring, or sober and dull the „new“ old generation wants to choose from a life in full color. Classy in shades of black or jaunty colorful- they blend the colors of the past into the future.
„The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.“. Marcus Aurelius
SETTLED MINDS...
Matured beige Standing tunes Devoted green Story hues History red
PRIME APPARIATIONS...
Fairy green Vintage beige Dark reseda Sober appearence Deephearted red
WISE SOULS...
Toned greige Mellowed rosĂŠ Render Calk hues Softened Ochre
NATURAL EMBODIMENTS...
Dirt knothole Lips Wool Korn
CLASSICAL SPIRITS...
Blue concinnity Silver grey Fine khaki Rosy elegance Fine nude
RELAXED WITS...
Sedate brown Calm beige Talking green Brown truth Birdy green
In the end everything is going to be alright, if it´s not alright, it´s not the end!
Copyright notice This is an academic piece of work and not for commercial use. The images used are either my own or may be subject to copyrights held by third parties. As far as possible these were credited. I do not intend to violate any rights or wishes of copyright owners, for any missing credits I may apologize.
Acknowledgements With your wonderful images you have been a great contribution to this book and the video, thank you very much: Patty Barker, Markus Bong, Vern Fong, Mark Hardymon (www.markhardymon.com), Karin Jung, Michael J端nemann, Dennis Kummer, Filipe Oliveira, Arturo Mc Clean, Alfonso Sanchez, Werner Stadelmann, Klaus Stevens and Rudi Verbecke. Thank you also for your time to answer my questions: Dominique Fallecker, Ignatius Joseph, Roberta Panzanelli, Piero Passarelli, Diane Pernet and Linda Loppa. And thanks to two very helpful and inspirational golden agers: Elisabeth and Frank Reinsch