Seniors take up the Getty Museum Art Challenge

By Dennis M. Green On Jun 25, 2020

“Young Girl in a Black Hat with Red Flowers”, by Pierre Renoir, 1890 | Marion Rowe

The Getty Museum Challenge has taken the world by storm. During the COVID-19 quarantine, when cultural institutions were (and many still are) closed, the Home Art Project inspired people to recreate iconic paintings with things they have on hand. This boredom-busting activity appeals to both children and adults, including residents of the Amenida Seniors Community in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They accepted the Getty Museum Challenge and rocked it by dressing up in paintings by Paul Gauguin, Pierre Renoir, Mary Cassatt, and many more.

Karen Schaefer is the recreation manager at Amenida and got the idea to try the project after seeing how stressful the pandemic was for seniors at her resort. As part of a high-risk group, they have to self-isolate and have not allowed visitors since March.

Schaefer began the Getty Museum Challenge by printing half a dozen portraits and donating them to the community. Residents then went in search of accessories, which included everything from a lampshade to fake flowers to copy paper improvised as part of a dress. Although it’s not the same as being out in the world, activity helps keep your spirits up.

“What really got to me was that they were like, ‘Am I going to be on Facebook? Do you want to email [the photos] to my daughter or my friend?’ » Schaefer Explain. “Or they’ll say, ‘I have to call my sister, my daughter, my brother to let them know.'”