50 AND BEYOND COLLECTIVE

ARTIST BIO

50&Beyond is a women's art collective founded in 2020 by photographer Paola DeGrenet, mask/costume maker Jane Darroch Riley, and actress/musician Sarah Davison. The group celebrates and redefines aging through artistic expression, challenging traditional views of midlife women. Their debut project "Masquerade" earned recognition at the 2023 Forecast Festival in Berlin, and their Wildling I portrait received an Honorable Mention at the Julia Margaret Cameron Women Photographers Award while being exhibited at Barcelona's 3 punts Gallery. The collective creates powerful imagery through a unique collaboration: Jane crafts masks and costumes, Sarah embodies the characters, and Paola photographs them. Together, they explore the complex identities of women over 50, emphasizing honest connections and vulnerability while celebrating the strength and freedom found in the aging process.


ARTIST STATEMENT

50 and Beyond presents "Masquerade," a portrait series blending our personal narratives and artistic talents. Our collective unites three international artists now based in Barcelona: Sarah from New Zealand, Jane from Scotland, and Paola from Italy. Through our work, we explore the experiences of women over 50, often overlooked in society.

Our backgrounds are diverse: Jane and Paola maintained established creative careers, while Sarah transitioned from visible TV stardom to invisible voice artistry, bringing both physical and emotional depth to our project.

We chose "50 and Beyond" because this age marks a time of fearless exploration and unexpected possibilities. We view aging not as decline but as a celebration of our accumulated identities. Our work champions feminine power and playfulness as acts of resistance, drawing inspiration from classical Furies and modern superheroes. "Masquerade" represents our tribal dance, liberating our wild spirits from societal constraints.