Artistic Representations of Aging 2025

Artistic Representations of Aging is an annual event hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Helen Bader Office of Applied Gerontology highlighting resilience in the older adult community through a photography exhibition and amateur photography competition, feature film screening in partnership with the Milwaukee Film Festival, and a talkback highlighting local experts on aging.

The 2025 photography exhibition and amateur photography competition explores the theme “Reflections of Resilience,” calling attention to older adults in a variety of contexts with subjects including strength and adaptability, service, engagement, relationships, and artistic expression.

This year’s exhibition also spotlights the work of award-winning Wisconsin photographer Cindy Hansen, who explores the subject of aging through staged self-portraiture.

Film Screening

Attendees will enjoy a free screening of 2024 Dutch film Memory Lane, a comedy-drama following long-married couple Jaap and Maartje as they road trip across Europe to visit a dying friend, getting up to some antics and rediscovering their love for one another along the way.

Talkback

The 30-minute talkback immediately following the film screening will examine the movie’s themes and pertinent topics in the field of aging.

Panelists

Cara Charles (Moderator)

Cara Charles is a current PhD student in UWM’s Psychology Department. She earned her Master of Science in psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Gerontology from UWM in spring 2024.

Her research focuses on aging and cognition, specifically looking at episodic memory differences in cognitively healthy older adults. Cara is also the acting president of the Student Gerontology Association. With her experience in aging-focused research, she hopes to pursue a career that allows her to continue doing research while also influencing policies that improve older adults’ quality of life and inclusion in society.

Ellyn Lem

Dr. Ellyn Lem has taught English and gender studies at UWM at Waukesha for many years, including courses on cultural gerontology. Her book Gray Matters: Finding Meaning in the Stories of Later Life was published by Rutgers University Press’ Global Aging series in 2021 and won a UWM Excellence in Research award. Currently, Ellyn has started a new position as an outreach specialist for the Osher Institute of Lifelong Learning at UWM.

Tom Hlavacek

Tom Hlavacek served for thirteen years as the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, where he oversaw a staff of 29 working in the chapter’s eleven county region. He convened and chaired the Alzheimer’s Challenging Behaviors Task Force which produced two reports, Handcuffed and We All Hold the Keys, and led to his testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and state legislation.

Since his retirement in 2017, Tom has worked as a consultant, most recently on the issue of increasing social connectedness for people with disabilities and older adults facing isolation and loneliness. Tom is a past recipient of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Public Policy Fellowship and served in Washington as a Disability Fellow in the United State Senate. Tom holds a Master of Science in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Yura Lee

Yura Lee is an associate professor in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at UW-Milwaukee.

Dr. Yura Lee’s research primarily focuses on individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers. Dr. Lee’s dedication to ADRD research stems from her personal experience as a primary caregiver for her grandfather, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This experience has significantly influenced her gerontological social work research, which centers on two key areas: (a) identifying risk and protective factors for ADRD and age-related cognitive decline, and (b) understanding the needs and challenges faced by dementia caregivers to develop caregiver support programs using assistive technology. Read more.

Artistic Representations of Aging is sponsored by the UWM Helen Bader Office of Applied Gerontology, the UWM Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Bader Philanthropies, Student Gerontology Association at UWM, the Focus Photography Club at UWM, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the Milwaukee Film Festival.