An art exhibit now showing in Rutland includes watercolors, portraits, abstract oil paintings, photographs, mixed media, video installations — even an elephant-sized pair of bright green boxer shorts. The show spans two floors and 12,000 square feet of gallery space, showcasing Vermont artists who have one thing in common: age.
70+: A Gerotranscendental Reflection of a New Era runs through May 17 at the 77 Gallery, in Rutland, and features artists in their 70s, 80s and 90s. Curator Bill Ramage said he thinks it's the largest art exhibit ever in Rutland.
If you go back 100 years, it wasn't uncommon for multi-generational families to live together; historically, Ramage said, older folks were respected for their wisdom and experience. But, he said, that’s changed especially in the United States.
“In the last 70 years, we — us old folks — have gone from being venerable to invisible," Ramage said. "And that's just a wasted resource."
Ramage taught art at Castleton University for 35 years and though he's retired, the 76-year-old has stayed active in the state’s artistic community. He said he’s wanted to organize an exhibit of older artists for years but never had the right space — until now.
Gallery 77 is located at 77 Grove Street in Rutland, in what used to be the headquarters of Central Vermont Public Service. Building owner Mark Foley Jr. has turned the location into a local arts center and has worked with Ramage on a number of projects.
“I sent out emails to about 10 artists who I know all over the state, from the Northeast Kingdom to Bennington," said Ramage. "And I said, 'I want to do this show. If you're interested that would be great, and if you know anybody else who would be interested, that would be wonderful.'”
Ramage said the response was tremendous.
“Well it just grew. ... So there are 67 artists [participating] who are 70 years or older," he said. "And, believe it or not, in this exhibition there are over 400 pieces."
Harriet Wood, an 81-year old painter from East Hardwick, was eager to take part in the project and has several pieces in this display.
“The thing about aging and being an artist is that you can just keep doing it until you die,” said Wood.
Wood added: “Matisse was lying in bed with a long pole and painting on the ceiling when he was very sick and old, so that’s inspiring to know that it’s an ageless kind of thing to be doing.”
Ramage agreed with this sentiment.
“Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Guggenheim [Museum] when he was in his 80s. Monet painted his waterlilies when he was in his 70s," he said. "So, you know, there's something interesting here."
Part of that something interesting is a concept Ramage said he’s been learning more about called "gerotranscendence." It’s the theory that people become more spiritual and cosmically aware as they age.
Ramage likes this idea and said the work on display in Rutland reflects that broader awareness.
“You know, with all these artists there is more than 5,000 years of living, you know, experiencing, being in the world. That has to mean something,” he said, “it has to be worth something,”
At the exhibit, Ramage pointed to a work by Benson sculptor B. Amore. It’s a multimedia piece that tracks the migration of Latinos across the United States. What’s eye-catching are the painted leather gloves that frame the piece.
“All of these gloves are the actual work gloves of farmers, immigrant farmers here in Vermont,” explained Ramage.
A few feet away, there's a dramatic life-size sculpture by St. Albans artist Mark Prent. It’s Icarus, the boy who in Greek mythology wore wax wings and flew too close to the sun.
“It's a figure that's hanging from the ceiling, roughly eight feet off the floor,” explained Ramage. “He’s upside-down, and you can just see from the pose that this is somebody who's just hopelessly falling to the ground.”
Also in the exhibit, there’s a painting of flamingos by Brandon artist Fran Bull. Portraits by Ann Young and Nitya Brighenti. Whimsical brightly colored sculptures by Gene Childers made from found objects like chimney brushes, metal pipes and an old musical instruments.
And yes, the aforementioned green oversized boxer shorts by Burlington artist Ann Laberge.
Click the slideshow at the top of the post to see more examples of work in the exhibit.
“My generation created the youth culture back in the 1960s and 70s that warned people never to trust anyone over 30,” said Ramage, chuckling. "But that generation, my generation, is also the bridge between the modern and postmodern worlds. We're the last generation to have lived through World War Two. We're the generation that began talking about women's rights, civil rights, gay rights."
And art was changing too, Ramage said.
"When I was in art school, it was all about abstract painting," Ramage recalled. But then in the early 1960s, Andy Warhol painted a Campbell's Soup can. "That was an incredible cultural shift," he said.
Ramage notes that he's the same age John Lennon would be today; he references the Beatles' song When I'm Sixty-Four and said how when the band wrote it, that age seemed far off.
"They just never thought that that was going to happen,” Ramage said with a laugh.
But of course people do age — and Ramage said they still have a lot to say.
