Drishtikala (Vision Art): A Photography Exhibition by Senior Citizens for Community Engagement
摘要
This paper describes a photography exhibition called Drishtikala (Vision Art) performed by senior citizens residing in a locality in Noida. Studies state that loneliness and social isolation are key risk factors for senior citizens’ mental health degradation. To address this issue, research suggests engaging in enjoyable activities, restarting an old hobby, learning something new, and meeting people with similar interests. Drishtikala seeks to provide a platform for their unique stories to be heard and their artistic talents to be recognized among their society. To achieve this, the curator initially encouraged senior citizens within the locality to enroll in a short photography course. Six participants enrolled for this workshop and exhibition. Central to the pedagogical method was the integration of design principles in visual design and user experience to ensure that the learning process is accessible, engaging, and empowering. The curator visited art exhibitions such as Prussian Blue: A Serendipitous Color at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and Indian Art, Architecture and Design Biennale at the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design, at Red Fort. The learnings from these exhibitions conveyed the importance of a thematic exhibition. The theme ‘nostalgia’ was specifically selected for the participants to revisit their cherished narratives from the past and represent their ideas through photography. Some of the novel ideas that emerged were a collection of coins from 1989, handwritten love letters and poems, antique telephones, childhood homes, partition stories, and more. Selected photographs were printed and framed. Unlike the conventional exhibition space of a gallery, Drishtikala was exhibited on the curator’s porch. The exhibition had several members of society interact with the participants to understand more about their unique stories. A survey shared with the participants validated their contentment and fulfillment of the project. In these ways, Drishtikala assisted intergenerational connections and evoked a sense of belonging among senior citizens.