GREY IS THE NEW PINK - Moments of Ageing
Who is old – where and when? Can we meet the ‘challenge of ageing’ optimistically? And what potential lies slumbering in the process of ageing?
Projections for global demographic trends are forecasting an increase in the world’s older population. The process of growing older is not just important for each individual, but has implications for the social and cultural spheres. Yet each generation ages differently. And when can we actually talk of someone as ‘old’ at all? Even if the visible biological ageing processes are the same the world over, each culture has its differences in defining ‘age’. There is no universally valid definition of when ‘old age’ starts. So who is old – where and when? - Weltkulturen Museum
This would be my first time travelling to Europe as an artist, and a chance to see a world with a history that connected to Samoa. With this in mind, it was the book ‘From Samoa with Love?’ by Dr. Hilke Thode-Arora that focused my attention on the early interactions between Samoa and Germany through ethnic shows, Volkerschauen, during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The stories and images from these touring cultural performances sat at the back of my mind initially but their significance came to the fore in the context of the work I was bringing to Frankfurt that in effect was a representation of Siva Samoa and an echo from past interactions between my heritage and that of my hosts in Germany.
Through the generosity of museum director Dr. Eva Raabe and Oceania curator Matthias Claudius Hoffman, I was given access to the archive of measina (gifts) held by Weltkuren Museum and a chance to connect to pieces of our history.
Included in their archive were items gifted to Carl Marquardt who, along with his brother Fritz were key figures in organising those early tours by Samoans to Germany as part of the Volkerschauen.
The reality of being with these objects, connections to ancestors that have had a part in shaping the research and art of Samoans, especially within the diaspora, was not lost on me. It was a valuable reminder of the relational space we occupy overseas and so from home. With access to the archive and help along with inciteful talanoa with Oceanic curator, Matthias Hoffman I was provided some insight into how certain pieces were acquired. One of the best moments with these measina was being able to feel the heft and weight of a 19th-century Fa'alaufa'i (bilateral toothed club). It was humbling and left me marveling at the skill of our ancestors when crafting this stunning weapon (no pun intended).
With the conclusion of my time in Frankfurt I made a choice, I had decided to gift the images of our mother and sister to the Museum. Initially the discussion around the artwork was that at the end of the year-long exhibition it would be destroyed as I would not be able to ship the images home. The decision to gift the work was made to meet protocol and respect the vā (relational space) between myself as the guest and the Museum and its staff as my hosts. I asked one smalll request, that if possible I would like to return and farewell these two images as they would be staying in Germany and would be housed with artwork by Samoan artists including Fatu Feu’u, Andy Leleisi’uao, Greg Semu, and Nanette Lela’ulu. With their work to hold space with our family and keep their images company it felt the right thing to do.
The exhibition
Beyond the archive and the chance to see and feel the history of Samoa I was in Frankfurt to be a part of a show that took a different view of ageing and the way our elders are framed. The fact that these points of view were given agency by an international cohort of artists from Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe and the Middle East was significant. It was significant as many were offering perspectives from indigenous contexts and the agency and advocacy to do so in the museum was deeply moving and significant - for me at least. I was humbled to be a part of this cohort and I am still in touch with many of the artists and at some point I would love to reconnect with them. Alofa and respect to all.
