Memories: Souvenirs of Life

Memories: Souvenirs of Life was an exhibition curated by SPCUNY fellow and artist ChrisTina Andersen and installed in the lower level of the Queens Public Library in Flushing (thanks to the help of SPCUNY Alum Kilusan Bautista). The exhibition consisted of original oil paintings imagined from the memories and photographs of mature adult artists between the ages of 65 to 90. Each of these paintings was created in one of the oil painting classes she teaches at two different senior centers in Queens. Every artist painted a meaningful personal memory which was accompanied by a written reflection and biography of the artist. All of the exhibited artists are immigrants, primarily from China, Hong Kong as well as Puerto Rico, Greece, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Poland, Israel and Brazil. This exhibition truly celebrates a vibrant yet often overlooked community, challenging stereotypes around aging through creativity and vivid storytelling. ChrisTina continues her work with these students as she teaches them drawing and painting weekly. They are excited for future opportunities to publicly exhibit their work in their own community!