Melanie Haberkorn

Shades Of Midlife

What does \"midlife\" mean to a woman in a society which is marked by ageism and youth obsession? For this series I staged middle-aged women with children’s props in dateless, slightly surreal surroundings. My goal is to highlight this particular stage of life, when many women drift into invisibility while others spend vast amounts of time and money to achieve a more youthful appearance. This is not surprising given the ageism and youth obsession that is rife in our society. In addition to the challenge of dealing with the physical aging, this phase is also marked by goodbyes - children grow up and move out, parents become fragile and die… Aging also means coming to terms with our own finitude and, along with that, reflecting on our journey since childhood: what has shaped, traumatized or stabilized us? Finally midlife can be a turning point with the opportunity for personal reinvention; for a more self-determined life with fewer external and internal constraints. And maybe with a newfound self-esteem we can age gracefully while retaining a childlike curiosity.