Older people and their city lives a local photo project in Amsterdam

Presentation: Caro Bonink

Inhabitants of Amsterdam take part in a social art project

• Inhabitants of de Pijp between 50 and 100 years old are making pictures of their own daily life

• 16 people are participating in the project, new people are welcome

• They were recruited by social workers and a call in local newspapers

• They use traditional camera’s, digital camera’s and a iPad

• They get photography lessons and assistance by professional photographers and photography students

• A film will be made of the participants showing and explaining their pictures

• In October 2015 an exhibition will take place showing their pictures in print, film and photo book

Goals of this social art project

• work with the elderly in a creative way

• let them show their own life inside and outside

• get them out of the house and be creative in the neighbourhood

• meet each other/create meeting grounds

• activate them:

– they are the photographers

• make a connection between young and old: photography students will teach them photography

• show other people how the elderly can live independently in the city and how they make their live enjoyable

Conditions and guidelines

• Make connections with health workers, community centres and

local municipalities. They can help you and know people who

might like to participate.

• Make connections with local newspapers (not everybody uses

internet yet) to recruit participants and to communicate the

project

• Be prepared to be not only a photography teacher but a social

health worker too. You will become a trust person and get a

close look into someone’s private life.

• Do not see the elderly as one group but as unique people with different qualities

• Every camera is welcome, from traditional to tablet

• Teach them photography at their own level, but with professional guidance

• Let them choose their own subjects to have a diversity in stories

• Don’t expect the same quality within the group and compared to professionals, and let them discover for themselves

• Take time, give them time, don’t pressure them and enjoy!

Outcome so far

• 16 elderly people are participating

• Many wonderful pictures are taken

• Seven of them participated in a community play ‘Hangouderen’ in de Pijp (Stichting Stadstoneel)

• Loesje Koord is exhibiting her paintings in a local art gallery Before this project she never dared to show her paintings

• People meet each other and help each other for example going together to a mindfulness class

• Henk Schouten was asked to make pictures for a local newspaper: his first publication

• People go out more often to make pictures

Outcome

Working together with

Stichting Stadstoneel:

Being part of social

community performance

Who are participating?

• Henk Schouten (53)• Hendrina Bronsdijk (75)• Piet Braal (75)• Jan van Dorenmolen (70)• Aunt Annie (100)• Ans Guezen (76)• Loesje Koord (80)• Alwina Kroese (85)

• Joor Weserman (60)• Hannah Brink (69)• Hennie de Vries (53)• Mayke Vullings (65)• Jenny Vijzelman (76)• Miep Wagner (70)• Berry Baanvinger (85)• Greet Kastermans (75)

A small foundation, just started on the 4th of October 2013(international day of the elderly),based in Amsterdam.

Karel is the nickname of my father who died in 2011. He was ill for six years. In memory of his life and his help to others, Caro and Miriam Bonink founded Stichting Karel.

Main goal

Stichting Karel/Leuker Langer Leven

• strives a longer happy life for elderly through small-scale projects in the field of the arts, health and social connection,

• wants to give older people a more different and positive image

Activities 2014-2015

1. Making memories: children in Ghana (Africa) and the Netherlands take pictures of their grandparents and show us the importance of having a grandparent in their lives. These pictures, together with interviews with their grandparents make up for an international comparison of the relation between youth and the elderly.

2. Aunt Annie (almost 101) still lives on her own without any help. A publication was made to show aspects of her life (published in the Volkskrant Magazine March 2015)

3. Making a photo book of elderly living for over 50 years in their own house in Amsterdam. This project gives insight in the history of housing in Amsterdam and shows beautiful stories of aging and living in the city.

4. Photo project in the neighbourhood ‘de Pijp’ in Amsterdam. 

50 years in their own house