“SILVER: A State of Mind” by Vicki Topaz
“The dramatic interior of the I.M. Pei building calls out for artistic intervention, and Silver is the perfect topic to address in this first exhibition at The Buck.”
Photographer Vicki Topaz in her series Silver: A State of Mind invites us to contemplate the issues aging women face in our culture. Silver featured black and white portraits of 52 remarkable women, a majority in their 50s and 60s, from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds (e.g., artists, actors, mothers, educators, analysts, healers, corporate managers, and more). Excerpts from the women’s interviews accompany the images and told a story, shared an insight or revealed a personal epiphany about their reflections on growing older.
Silver offered a rich exchange on many themes centered around aging and provides an ideal opportunity to bring people together in community. The project remains online, and portrays women who are embracing the wisdom of their age and exploring this chapter of their lives. Topaz has tapped into a rich dialogue, revealing a journey that demands courage to confront circumstances of aging such as illness, authenticity, family, a youth-oriented workplace and more. By acknowledging these challenges, the opportunity for connection, support and liberation is made possible. Public exhibition of this work, combined with programming, inspired audiences to partake in conversations about aging through opening events, public programs, social media, and local media (especially community radio).