We Will Grow Old Together
We Will Grow Old Together is a project that explores transgender (trans) futures and aging as a form of resistance to the current cultural and political context of the UK. Through the Fountain of Ageing kinetic sculpture and a textile banner for Trans Pride in London, the work creates spaces for the community to dream about their future. The installation subverts the medieval myth of the Fountain of Youth by actively imagining aging and its journey, through the relationships established by community members within it and with others.
During the production process, trans individuals have been invited to contribute, online and offline, to the artwork. The research spanned from collecting memes intended as familiar places on the Internet to exploring how time creates parallel realities in trans people’s lives. By blending physical experiments with water pumps, 3D renders, and graphic design, We Will Grow Old Together offers a multifaceted exploration of how creating spaces for safety, dignity and belonging is vital to both the surviving and thriving of the trans community in the UK.
Artist’s statement
Developing this project allowed me to feel grounded and more deeply connected to my community, while helping me build a strong artistic voice and practice that echoes my values. As an artist, I strive to create spaces of safety, dignity and belonging for my audience. Influenced by my own experiences and those of my kin, the aim of my project is to let the addressed people feel seen, heard and celebrated and to share it with those they love.
Bio
Born in 1998 in the UK, Iya Mistry are a designer graduated from Falmouth University, with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and an exchange experience at The Royal Academy of Art in the Netherlands. Their artistic practice focuses on the intersection between queerness, gender, internet culture, and disability. As a creative, they have worked with clients like V&A East Storehouse, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ museum, Queer Britain and Transkaters.
