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| Portrait photographs of the 100-up club | Portrait photographs of the 100-up club |
| (8 days later) | |
| A selection of these portraits of centenarians was first shown in the Guardian's weekend magazine last year. To coincide with the publication of Fading Light: portraits of centenarians, Magnum photographer Chris Steele-Perkins is also exhibiting the portraits at the Northumbria University Gallery in Newcastle | A selection of these portraits of centenarians was first shown in the Guardian's weekend magazine last year. To coincide with the publication of Fading Light: portraits of centenarians, Magnum photographer Chris Steele-Perkins is also exhibiting the portraits at the Northumbria University Gallery in Newcastle |
| Steele-Perkins was inspired to take on the project when he learned that there are currently well over 10,000 centenarians in the country, and it is expected that 5% of the people alive today in the UK are expected to live to 100, when only 100 years ago life expectancy here of men was 50 and of women 54. | Steele-Perkins was inspired to take on the project when he learned that there are currently well over 10,000 centenarians in the country, and it is expected that 5% of the people alive today in the UK are expected to live to 100, when only 100 years ago life expectancy here of men was 50 and of women 54. |
| In the introduction, he writes | In the introduction, he writes |
| statistics are abstract, and this book is about people. It is a portrait of this new generation as it ushers itself into being. They are forerunners of a new human future, and I wanted to make a record of some them, early in the 21st century, in words as well as pictures. They are, as I suspected, a mixed bunch, and I believe a reasonable sampling of this demographic | statistics are abstract, and this book is about people. It is a portrait of this new generation as it ushers itself into being. They are forerunners of a new human future, and I wanted to make a record of some them, early in the 21st century, in words as well as pictures. They are, as I suspected, a mixed bunch, and I believe a reasonable sampling of this demographic |
A "mixed bunch" indeed. There are 32 portraits, including one of Ralph and Phyllis Tarrant, 109 and 104 respectively, who have been married since 1933. One thing many of them seem to have in common is a positive, cheerful, often humourous attitude to life. Although there are some who appear utterly depressed, most are defiantly determined that their glass is at least half full. This provides further anecdotal evidence to back up a study published last year in the Journal of Applied Psychology, which showed that | A "mixed bunch" indeed. There are 32 portraits, including one of Ralph and Phyllis Tarrant, 109 and 104 respectively, who have been married since 1933. One thing many of them seem to have in common is a positive, cheerful, often humourous attitude to life. Although there are some who appear utterly depressed, most are defiantly determined that their glass is at least half full. This provides further anecdotal evidence to back up a study published last year in the Journal of Applied Psychology, which showed that |
| high subjective well being (such as life satisfaction, absence of negative emotions, optimism and positive emotions) causes better health and longevity. | high subjective well being (such as life satisfaction, absence of negative emotions, optimism and positive emotions) causes better health and longevity. |
| Nora Hardwick is clearly a stranger to "negative emotions". At 102 she posed naked for a charity calendar, and is still driving herself around: "every day is a bonus", she says, and ascribes her longevity to better living conditions - | Nora Hardwick is clearly a stranger to "negative emotions". At 102 she posed naked for a charity calendar, and is still driving herself around: "every day is a bonus", she says, and ascribes her longevity to better living conditions - |
| And I have a little shot of whisky at bedtime. That helps, I think. | And I have a little shot of whisky at bedtime. That helps, I think. |
| Several of them remain active, although probably none as active as Fauja Singh. He is an enthusiastic runner, whose training schedule is | Several of them remain active, although probably none as active as Fauja Singh. He is an enthusiastic runner, whose training schedule is |
| still to cover 8 to 10 miles a day, but there is more walking and jogging than in the past. | still to cover 8 to 10 miles a day, but there is more walking and jogging than in the past. |
| Last year in Toronto he became the first centenarian to complete a full marathon and earlier this summer he was one of the Olympic torch-bearers. | Last year in Toronto he became the first centenarian to complete a full marathon and earlier this summer he was one of the Olympic torch-bearers. |
| Sprightly Simon ("Sam") Martinez came from Belize during the last war to work as a lumberjack in the forestry in Scotland. He has lived in Edinburgh ever since and only been back "home" once, over 30 years ago. | Sprightly Simon ("Sam") Martinez came from Belize during the last war to work as a lumberjack in the forestry in Scotland. He has lived in Edinburgh ever since and only been back "home" once, over 30 years ago. |
| I never sit down and feel depressed, feel lonely. Life is too short for that. | I never sit down and feel depressed, feel lonely. Life is too short for that. |
| Earlier this year he represented his birth country in BBC Radio Scotland's Poetry 2012, reading "When a fish …", an anonymous poem from Belize which brought back memories of fishing for his family before going to school. | Earlier this year he represented his birth country in BBC Radio Scotland's Poetry 2012, reading "When a fish …", an anonymous poem from Belize which brought back memories of fishing for his family before going to school. |
| Czech-born pianist Alice Herz-Sommer, survived being in Theresienstadt concentration camp. She gave over 100 concerts in the camp, and thinks that her music may have saved her life, as a substitute for food. Music is still very important to her | Czech-born pianist Alice Herz-Sommer, survived being in Theresienstadt concentration camp. She gave over 100 concerts in the camp, and thinks that her music may have saved her life, as a substitute for food. Music is still very important to her |
| I forget! Everything I forget. … I had an excellent memory and now I'm an idiot. What do I do against it? I learn Bach by heart. Bach, yes. Not Mozart, not Beethoven. Bach! | I forget! Everything I forget. … I had an excellent memory and now I'm an idiot. What do I do against it? I learn Bach by heart. Bach, yes. Not Mozart, not Beethoven. Bach! |
| Behind her is a portrait of her only son, who was with her in Theresienstadt, playing the 'cello. | Behind her is a portrait of her only son, who was with her in Theresienstadt, playing the 'cello. |
| He died at the age of 64. We are not old when we are 64. | He died at the age of 64. We are not old when we are 64. |
| Some are ready for death – Betty Stobbart says "I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go now" and the self-confessed "naughty nun" Margaret Grimsdale is positively impatient: | Some are ready for death – Betty Stobbart says "I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go now" and the self-confessed "naughty nun" Margaret Grimsdale is positively impatient: |
| I want to die and be with the Lord. Yes. That's all I want now. | I want to die and be with the Lord. Yes. That's all I want now. |
| Former actress Sheila Horsbrugh says: | Former actress Sheila Horsbrugh says: |
| Going to bed and not waking up. I think that's the solution. Doesn't cause me any trouble, doesn't cause anybody else any trouble. | Going to bed and not waking up. I think that's the solution. Doesn't cause me any trouble, doesn't cause anybody else any trouble. |
| While Mary Sturman thinks | While Mary Sturman thinks |
| I want to stay here as long as I can. When the time comes, it comes! | I want to stay here as long as I can. When the time comes, it comes! |
| Chris Steele-Perkins' Fading Light: A Portrait of British Centenarians is on at the University Gallery, Northumbria University, Newcastle, from October 19 to November 23. | Chris Steele-Perkins' Fading Light: A Portrait of British Centenarians is on at the University Gallery, Northumbria University, Newcastle, from October 19 to November 23. |
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