What Happens to Our Creativity as We Grow Older?
A thinking piece to accompany the live talk on Creative Ageing at White Chapel Somerset, 25 January 2025 with Dr Lucy Pollock, author and geriatrician, and Evie Body, artist and group analytic psychotherapist.
Creativity is often regarded as a hallmark of youth—an untamed, vibrant force that diminishes with age as responsibilities mount and cognitive abilities wane. However, history and art tell a more nuanced story. As we grow older, our creative expression does not necessarily dwindle; instead, it evolves, shaped by the physiological and psychological changes that come with ageing. The later works of artists such as Georges Braque, Louise Bourgeois, and Pablo Picasso which we are showing at White Chapel Somerset reveal how age can imbue creativity with a profound depth, addressing themes of spiritual enlightenment, sexual analysis, anxiety and risk, assurance, and wisdom.
The Ageing Brain and Creativity
Medical research shows that ageing alters brain structure and function, with changes in areas like the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and dopamine systems. These alterations can impact memory, problem-solving, and cognitive flexibility—skills often associated with creativity. Yet, older adults often exhibit what psychologists term “crystallised intelligence,” a deep reservoir of knowledge and experience accumulated over decades. This cognitive shift can enable a more reflective and insightful approach to creativity, allowing for complex, layered expressions that may be unattainable in youth.
For instance, neuroscientific studies suggest that as the brain ages, it becomes less lateralised, meaning that the hemispheres work more collaboratively. This integration can facilitate a unique blend of emotional and analytical thinking, a hallmark of mature creativity. Artists like Georges Braque demonstrate this synthesis in their later years, creating works that merge technical mastery with profound emotional resonance.
Georges Braque: “Les Derniers Messages”
Braque’s lithographic series Les Derniers Messages (1960-1963) exemplifies the spiritual dimension of late-life creativity. Created during his final years, these works are imbued with a sense of transcendence and introspection. The abstract forms and muted palette suggest a distillation of artistic language, a paring down to essentials that reflects both physical limitation and spiritual enlightenment. These pieces invite viewers to contemplate mortality and the essence of existence, showcasing how creativity in later life often grapples with profound existential themes.
Braque once remarked, “With age, art and life become one,” encapsulating his belief that maturity brought a deeper unity between his experiences and creative output.
Anxiety, Risk, and the Ageing Artist
While ageing can bring wisdom and assurance, it also introduces vulnerability and anxiety. These emotions can serve as potent catalysts for creativity. Louise Bourgeois’s Maman (1999), a monumental spider sculpture, is a testament to this. Created when the artist was 88, the work explores themes of maternal protection, fragility, and strength. The spider—both nurturing and menacing—embodies Bourgeois’s lifelong grappling with trauma and anxiety, now reframed through the lens of age.
Bourgeois often spoke of art as a means of coping, stating, “Art is a guarantee of sanity.” Her later works reveal an artist unafraid to confront her fears and vulnerabilities, using them as raw material for creative expression. This willingness to take risks and explore uncomfortable truths can be a hallmark of creativity in older age, fuelled by a lifetime of experience and an acute awareness of mortality.
Sexual Analysis and Late-Life Creativity
Ageing does not diminish our preoccupations with identity and sexuality. Instead, these themes often take on new dimensions, informed by changing physicality and societal perceptions. Picasso’s La Comédie Humaine (1960-1971) is a striking example. This series of etchings, created in his 80s, is a bawdy, exuberant exploration of human desire and folly. The works brim with sexual energy, wit, and defiance, challenging stereotypes of ageing as a period of asexual decline.
Picasso’s late creativity underscores the persistence of the libido, not just as a physical drive but as a metaphor for life force and creative vitality. As he famously said, “It takes a long time to become young,” suggesting that his later works were a culmination of a lifetime’s exploration of youthful spirit and passion.
The Role of Assurance and Wisdom
One of the most profound gifts of ageing is the assurance that comes with experience. This wisdom allows older artists to approach their work with confidence and clarity, unburdened by the need for external validation. It is a period of creative freedom, where the focus shifts from ambition to self-expression and legacy.
Georges Braque’s Les Derniers Messages and Louise Bourgeois’s later works exemplify this assurance. Their creations reflect a mastery of craft and a deep understanding of their chosen mediums. This confidence enables a focus on essential truths, resulting in works that resonate with timeless significance.
Bourgeois reflected on this dynamic when she said, “You can’t always be a child, but you can always remain an artist.” Her words underline the enduring power of creativity as a tool for self-discovery and expression, even into advanced age.
The Psychological Impacts of Ageing on Creativity
Psychologists have identified several factors that influence creativity in older age. Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development highlights “ego integrity versus despair” as a central challenge of later life. Those who achieve ego integrity—a sense of acceptance and fulfilment—are often able to channel this into their creative work. Conversely, those who struggle with unresolved regrets may experience a creative block or use their art to process these emotions.
Louise Bourgeois and Pablo Picasso illustrate both sides of this spectrum. Bourgeois’s work often grappled with unresolved childhood traumas, using art as a therapeutic outlet. Picasso, on the other hand, approached his later works with a sense of playful defiance, embracing the imperfections of age as part of his creative identity.
Creativity and Art Therapy in the Present Day
In recent years, art therapy has emerged as a powerful tool for older adults, including those suffering from conditions such as dementia. Programmes like the UK’s Arts 4 Dementia and similar initiatives worldwide aim to harness the therapeutic potential of creativity to improve cognitive function, reduce anxiety, and foster social connection.
For individuals with dementia, creating art offers a means of self-expression that transcends the limitations of verbal communication. Studies show that engaging in creative activities can stimulate neural plasticity, preserving cognitive function and enhancing quality of life. Activities such as painting, sculpture, and music-making help to rekindle a sense of purpose and identity, even in the face of memory loss.
The “Creative Ageing” movement, championed by organisations like the National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH), emphasises the importance of integrating arts into healthcare for older populations. These programmes are not merely recreational but deeply therapeutic, offering an outlet for emotions and a means of exploring complex inner landscapes. They align with Louise Bourgeois’s assertion that “Art is a guarantee of sanity,” underscoring how creativity can be a lifeline for mental well-being.
Dr Lucy Pollock, in her book The Golden Rule, highlights the profound impact of creative activities in older age, noting, “Art can open doors to forgotten memories and forge connections where words fail.” This insight reflects the transformative power of creativity, particularly for those navigating the challenges of dementia.
Another of Pollock’s reflections captures the broader value of creativity: “It’s not about prolonging life at all costs but enriching it with meaning and connection.” This underscores how art therapy and creative pursuits can provide a sense of purpose and fulfilment, enabling older adults to live with dignity and joy.
One striking example is the “Memories in the Making” programme, developed by the Alzheimer’s Association in the United States. This initiative provides individuals with Alzheimer’s disease an opportunity to create art as a form of communication and emotional release. Participants often produce works that reveal profound insights into their inner worlds, challenging stereotypes about the cognitive limitations of ageing.
Creativity as a Lifelong Journey
The later works of Braque, Bourgeois, and Picasso challenge the notion that creativity is the exclusive domain of youth. Instead, they reveal how ageing can enrich artistic expression, bringing a unique perspective shaped by decades of experience, introspection, and resilience. While the ageing process undeniably introduces challenges—from physical limitations to cognitive decline—it also offers opportunities for growth, reflection, and profound creative achievement.
In Braque’s spiritual enlightenment, Bourgeois’s exploration of anxiety and maternal strength, and Picasso’s unapologetic celebration of desire, we see how age can transform creativity into a vehicle for wisdom, risk, and authenticity. These artists remind us that creativity is not bound by time but evolves with it, offering new ways to understand ourselves and the world around us. Today, art therapy and creative ageing initiatives continue this legacy, proving that the spark of creativity can illuminate even the darkest corners of the ageing mind.
This article accompanies the talk, The Art of Creative Ageing at White Chapel Somerset,
January 25th, 2025
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