Exhibition explores ageing anxieties through art and Japanese tradition

The Coming of Age exhibition launches at a time when concerns about ageing have become prominent, with statistics showing one in 10 boys and one in six girls born in the UK today can expect to live past 100. According to The Guardian - Main UK, exhibition curator Shamita Sharmacharja described that when she told people she was working on an exhibition about ageing, it was the most extreme reaction she had, with many finding the topic depressing and not wanting to think about it. The exact opening date of the exhibition at the Wellcome Collection has not been disclosed, and the full scope of contributions, such as Maija Tammi's work, remains unclear.

Historically, Japan's government began a tradition in 1963 of issuing honorary gifts, or sakazuki, to citizens who reached 100 years old, with 153 people receiving one in the first year. By 2009, the growing number of centenarians led to a decision to reduce the size of the sakazuki to curtail costs. Since the mid-2010s, Japanese elders who turn 100 have received a cheaper nickel-silver alloy version instead of the pure silver one, reflecting broader economic adjustments to an ageing population.

How the exhibition addresses the economic and social impacts of ageing populations in detail is not specified. Notable artworks in the exhibition include Sebald Beham's The Fountain of Youth from the German Renaissance, Charles Darwin's skull-tipped walking stick, and Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2001 time-lapse film, Still Life. According to The Guardian - Main UK, Shamita Sharmacharja described the exhibition as one she had been thinking about for quite a long time, and she noted that people want to live forever but do not want to get old.

What other specific artworks or objects are included beyond those mentioned, as well as visitor numbers or expected attendance, have not been confirmed.