Evan Bishop and Katori Walker, artists

“What one word would you give to the youth to carry with them throughout life?”

This question was asked to mature adults ranging in age from 60 to 102 years young. Their rich oral histories were captured and presented through the media of vibrant body art and candid photographs.

“This unique photo exhibit was inspired by the desire to use our artistic talents to empower elders while educating young people. The photos force us to take notice of the flawed beauty of the aging body while appreciating the graffiti-inspired body art,” says Bronx-born artist Evan Bishop, who was awarded the ArtsWestchester 2017 Arts Alive Individual Artist grant for this project. “We wanted to celebrate their lives and show them that their stories matter.” He painted original body art on 141 senior citizens while his girlfriend and artist, Katori Walker, interviewed and photographed them. Each participant selected an original word, the colors and location of the body art. With the help of fellow artists Barry Mason and Lance Johnson, the exhibit exceeded the grant expectations.

The 100 WOW (Words of Wisdom) Exhibit features the participation of immigrants, veterans, politicians, educators, artisans, community leaders, retired healthcare practitioners, civil servants as well as current business professionals. These participants reside in all five boroughs of New York City, fourteen municipalities in Westchester, as well as New Jersey and Massachusetts. The list includes record-breaking track star 102-year-old Ida Keeling, NY State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins, world-renown Jazz drummer Louis Hayes, ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam, Katori’s grandmother Thelma Jenkins, Evan’s mother, Charlotte Bishop and even his high school football coach, Jerome Horowitz.

Sponsored by 

The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore and Einstein