Reminiscence Blueprint
2026
Digital print on Phototex
(detail)
Kitty Owens with the Bupa Aged Care Coburg Arts Therapy Group
Reminscence Blueprint represents an imagined village of older people’s childhood homes, in the form of a blueprint plan. The composite image is based on sketches, it was printed as custom wallpaper and installed in the lounge area at Bupa Aged Care Coburg in mid June 2026. The following residents shared their memories and drew or described the floorplan of their childhood homes: Andrea, Ante, Beverly, Eddy, Eileen, Ellen and John.
The artwork is the result of a participatory art project supporting reminiscense, social connection and wellbeing. I also see the project as a series of micro-histories, capturing personal histories of individual houses in suburban Melbourne, country Victoria, Croatia and Malaysia during the 1930s-1940s, as remembered by older people.
I devised and led the project, supported by Bupa Aged Care Coburg Recreation and Leisure staff working on the Art Therapy Program, Jess Lahy, Program leader, and Neha Singh. Lifestyle and Community Coordinators Kerry Douglas and Philip Alexander liaised with me to make the project possible.
Anita Thuon from Kwik Kopy Coburg prepared the print-ready design.
This project was supported by Arts Merri-bek through the 2025-2026 Flourish Arts Grant Program.
Images: Andrea’s sketch as part of the final artwork, Kwik Kopy Coburg staff installing the wallpaper.