Actress Angela Lansbury, a subject in the exhibit "70 Up."
In 1985, Jessica Chornesky was at a crossroads in her professional and personal life. She made a bold choice to leave her successful music management and marketing business to become a professional photographer. While searching for subjects, she discovered the beauty of older women.
'I don't think I'm alone in finding it enlightening to learn about older women's attitudes, triumphs, sorrows, fears and hopes - especially when many people are looking for clues on how to build meaning into their lives,' says Chornesky.
Chornesky's multimedia project, '70 Up,' gives others a chance to see women in their prime: age 70 and older. The project includes photographs and audio messages from each woman, and is intended to increase public awareness about social and economic issues surrounding women's aging.
'I was drawn to photographing these women because it allows us to get to know stories that are not often told,' adds Chornesky.
Women featured in the exhibit include cultural powerhouse Kitty Carlisle Hart, actress Angela Lansbury, amfAR founder Dr. Mathilde Krim and 82-year-old environmentalist Lorraine Gewirtz. Chornesky also traveled to Taos, New Mexico to photograph painter Agnes Martin, who helped pioneer abstract expressionism in the 1940s.
On display at the Museum of the City of New York through July 8, the exhibit will tour the United States through 2004. It makes a special stop at the Somerville Elks September 30 for a unique SAIL program: Reframing the View of Older Women.
At this event, Chornesky will discuss her project and Alyssa Horowitz, MD, will present health issues related to aging and describe ways to look and feel young. The program will be followed by a viewing of the exhibit. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the cost is $5.
