By Tanisha Gandhi
Embarking on the Hidden Flowers project has been a transformative journey filled with valuable insights and profound lessons. As the VACS team witnessed each member’s progress personally and with their seed projects, my perspectives and opinions were constantly shifting. In this essay, I will reflect on the significant lessons and learnings I gained from the Hidden Flowers project process, highlighting its profound impact on my understanding of co-creation, identity, and aging.
The process began with the understanding that it would be centered around intergenerational art engagement. However, this quickly evolved as I learned of the CCS members and each of their projects. Like an onion, layers were peeled back through interviews, emails exchanged, and group meetings until the team and I got to know each of the seven CCS members in our film. Each member had rich and inspiring backstories and exciting futures as they began their seed projects, which were created to unite people through art.
Previously I had never heard of co-creation, nor had I any idea how impactful art could be for communities. From the first few interviews, it became evident that the common theme which united the CCS members was the idea of co-creation. Witnessing their collective efforts to shape and execute their projects highlighted collaboration’s vital role in generating innovative ideas, fostering creativity, and achieving shared goals. Pretty quickly, a first significant question arose in our project: How does one create with others while maintaining individual expression? Answering this question posed to be quite challenging, as it revealed significant nuances of co-creation, as well as highly subjective answers. During the first interview, we devised a metaphor centered around ‘dynamic range,’ or a grayscale. This photography concept describes “the ratio between the brightest and darkest parts of an image, from pure black to brightest white.” We wondered if we could use the “dynamic range” concept as a metaphor to guide our co-creation practices.
Some of the additional factors one must consider when co-creating are with who and where it is being done. Several members critiqued Vancouver’s culture and isolation, opening my eyes to the city’s judgemental and competitive nature. A gap between Vancouver’s seniors and youth was pointed out. It inspired my first research paper, in which I learned just how vital intergenerational relationships are for individuals’ cognitive health and social perceptions. This further raised the question of how Vancouver could remedy this, which is being answered by a CCS member who plans to facilitate an intergenerational art-based program in a community center.
Another important lesson I learned about co-creation is the essential role of diverse perspectives. The Hidden Flowers project involved individuals from various age groups, cultures, and professional backgrounds. Members who had immigrated to Canada or traveled to other regions of the world described vast cultural and attitudinal differences. These differences ranged from daily habits to communication styles, and upon doing research, I learned that the difference between being raised in an individualistic Western society versus a collective Eastern one could even impact our basic cognitive functions. This made me wonder how we can co-create with such deep-rooted cultural divides. I explored this topic in the following article, where I interviewed members of the VACS team with immigrant parents from the East, who shared their profound testimonies and experiences.
When one of the members made it known that he could no longer share his project due to political implications, I wondered if political differences were the largest barrier to co-creation. How does one work with someone who has diametrically opposing opinions like you? I took away that the best way to facilitate true co-creation was to cultivate an open, non-judgemental space with individuals who shared value systems. While several of the CCS members answered this question differently, the answer which resonated the most with me was open communication.
Another key lesson I learned through this project was the fluid and ever-changing nature of identity. The members of the CCS group shared their stories and experiences of navigating the complexities of identity in the context of both cultural backgrounds and ‘retirement’ or post-work life. Two CCS members shared in their interviews the feeling of not being ‘enough’ of one culture or not entirely belonging to the culture they were born into. Intriguingly the member explained that she wants people to understand that not all Canadian immigrant experiences are the same. With blanket offensives, you stereotype and box people into one category. This reinforced our metaphor of dynamic range, blurring boundaries and finding balance within the gray space, challenging stereotypes and encouraging individuality.
While the interviews revealed many profound insights and knowledge of the CCS members personally, the group meetings revealed the dynamics of the group as a whole and how their collaboration with each other encouraged innovation and creativity. During the first group meeting, I wondered how it is possible to co-create without it becoming supervision. How can we effectively train co-creation and our ability to listen? I also observed that many members overlooked certain aspects of their projects until pointed out by others. Is it possible that collaboration reveals potentials that individuals may not have seen alone?
Lastly, one of the critical lessons I learned was the profound impact that the transition into retirement can have on an individual’s sense of purpose and identity. The CCS members were initially united through a collective agency to positively impact the world through social artistry. This led me to question how societal perceptions and expectations surrounding aging contribute to these challenges. How can we redefine the concept of retirement to ensure that individuals continue to find meaning and fulfillment as they enter this new chapter?
Another important lesson I learned is the significance of social connections and community in the aging process by analyzing the members’ challenges. The members of the CCS group emphasized the value of companionship, support, and shared experiences in navigating the challenges of aging. Through research, I learned of the psychological ties between the societal role one plays (such as a job) and identity. The loss of a role can impact one’s self-identity, as many of the CCS members felt. Furthermore, the quantity of external connections and support affects how heavily one centers their identity around their career; this ties back to the lack of connections in Vancouver mentioned previously. Understanding this showed me that all the challenges expressed by the CCS members are linked; their identity reformation results from the lack of supporting connections Vancouver offers for individuals leaving the workforce, making seniors more depressed.
In the latest CCS group meeting, one member introduced the United Nations Inner Development Goals. The workshop hosted by a member of CCS asked the other members to choose a skill which resonated the most with them. I realized the significance of individual agency and empowerment in achieving the SDGs. As I observed the implementation of the IDGs within the Hidden Flowers project, several questions arose regarding their effectiveness and potential limitations. How can we ensure the IDGs are accessible and relevant to diverse communities and individuals? The member leading the workshop noted that often these skills work better when applied to personal situations as opposed to more theoretical ones.
So what are the best practices for cultivating a truly collaborative and inclusive co-creation space that values individual expression? How can we bridge cultural divides and leverage diverse perspectives to enhance this process? What are the key factors contributing to a sense of identity and purpose in the aging process, and how can we foster supportive social connections to enhance well-being? As I reflect on the lessons learned and the questions that arise from observing the Hidden Flowers project, it becomes clear that the concept of the co-creation process is a dynamic and ever-evolving journey that requires open communication and an appreciation of diverse perspectives, including cross-cultural and intergenerational ones. These questions guide further exploration and reflection, which are inspired by the community of practice the CCS members formed and their continued efforts on the seed projects.
The Colloquium 