An exhibition featuring the art works of Virtual Eastern Bay Villages: Te Kokoru Manaakitanga (VEBV: TKM) members, for anyone involved or interested in ageing well by Ageing in Place.

The strength and expressive power of the works in this exhibition resulted from the artists immersion in creative and contemplative practices, at a contemplative art workshop run in Whakatāne, the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, in March 2023. Creative and contemplative practices were used to engage the artists’ subjective experience of the VEBV: TKM, both to elicit a deeper internal level of experience, and acknowledge their expertise in the VEBV: TKM’s member-led initiative. We hope you enjoy the exhibition and please let us know about your experience of the exhibition by filling out the survey, please click here

The art works in this exhibition were created using the Meditative Process Art (MPA) method. It encourages a contemplative approach in which the inner process of artmaking, rather than the end product, is emphasised. In this way the resulting art works can be understood as schemas or maps of the artists inner world. When viewing this exhibition, you may like to engage with the art works in a reflective state, similar to the state they were created in. This exhibition is educative and celebrates the strength, courage, and vitality of the eight artists, ranging in age from 62-85, who participated in the project’s contemplative art workshop. They have overcome the challenges of isolation, fear of connection, and chronic health conditions to attend and participate in the VEBV: TKM events, including the art and meditation workshop, and they continue to support each other in multiple ways.