Via via I had a look at the twitterprofile of some artist. Besides her name, picture, and a link to her website, the only thing she gave away in her bio was ‘young artist’. Which makes me wonder, since when age has become a criterium in art. Because, if it wasn’t for this, why would she add this information anyway? Somewhere I read that being young is presented as an achievement nowadays.
Logically, just in terms of age, one would think that getting old is much more of an achievement than being young. In order to get old, you must do a whole range of idiotic things, which we normally call ‘living’. At the same time, doing a lot of ‘living’ dangerously increases an early death. So the ones among us that make it and do become old, are the real achievers here.
So why not in art?
Most awards, prices, stipends etcetera that might help to boost an artist’s career stop at the age of 35. It totally ignores the bare fact, that an increasing number of people nowadays make important career changes after their 35th. And, for most careers (of all people, not just artists) don’t have the same upgoing line forever, it is going up and down. So why not support artists in their later years?
Ofcourse, the only ones complaining are… the oldies. Whén they complain, that is. Because complaining means you’re old, and being old means you are out of it. So yes. I am almost medieval. Always been selfsupportive, by working 4 or 5 days a week. Had to pay the bills, sorry. Never had a stipend or such. So I think it would be nice they change their ignorant rules, and forget about this whole idea of age. In fact, in the Netherlands it is forbidden to discriminate people, which includes discrimination by age.
So why not in art?