When we can imagine ourselves in later life, we are better prepared for navigating our own futures – socially, logistically, and emotionally. However, stories of aging often go untold and our ability to envision later life is hampered by political and societal ageism, historical and contemporary notions of older adults as “aged” and “dependent,” and age-based segregation in modern communities.
This exhibition combines contemporary artwork from a local art- and media-based community action project – Untold Stories of Aging – with historical and contemporary artifacts to create a contextualized narrative around diverse representations of aging and older adults. Personal narratives and creative expressions can combat stigmatizing representations of older adults as frail, vulnerable, or elderly, while also acknowledging the rich and diverse possibilities for what aging can entail – the joys, hardships, connections, opportunities, losses, beginnings, and endings. Historical and contemporary artifacts provide context for the political, societal, and artistic landscape around aging and later life as well as illustrating the chronological development and application of art as a tool of therapy and advocacy around aging-related issues.
While the ways in which we frame older adults – socially, politically, and societally – are often limiting and stigmatizing, personal accounts and artistic expressions offer richer complexity, nuance, and possibility for imagining our own aging process. For we are all aging – and we each have a stake in shaping possibilities for our own futures.
The exhibition’s display cases are roughly chronological according to the archival items included in each and the discourses that they engage. Around the perimeter are contemporary art pieces created by artists of a wide range of ages. Descriptions of each piece were written by the artists to reflect the intergenerational processes, insights, and values that inspired their work. You are encouraged to engage meaningfully, confront what challenges you, seek inspiration, and imagine your own aging future as you share the space
You can access the broader Untold Stories of Aging digital exhibition here: https://www.untoldstoriesofaging.com/
This Omeka exhibit is an online version of a physical exhibit that was on display in Kenneth Spencer Research Library from February through June 2026.
Faculty curator: Sarah Jen, Associate Professor of Social Welfare, University of Kansas
Library advisor: Phil Cunningham, Kansas Collection Curator, University of Kansas Libraries
