199 - Relevant

This week, a question from Hans Verhaegen https://www.hansup.be Fin de carrière It might be a taboo, but any thoughts on how artists in the last stage of their career can stay relevant? It’s something a lot of young and mid-career artists, probably don’t (or want to) realize: what to do when you still have 20 or 30 years to go, but your art and/or vision have become ‘less relevant’ and you find yourself slipping away in the background and falling off stage everywhere. A friend artist announced officially the end of his career some years ago, but now is even more desperately trying to get back in a spotlight. So that’s seems not a good Idea. Pretend to be still young mostly results also in very cringe situations and so to be avoided. What could be some of the more elegant and wise moves for the older artist to at least have a slight feeling she’s still part of the art scene/world? How to age gracefully as an artist? Any examples?  I love that picture of Matisse in his bed playing with pieces of colored paper.  In summary: How to age gracefully as an artist (fin de carrière)?  And maybe do fantasize how you both would like to imagine yourself as a 80 year old artist? + a field recording from Jeremy of Grandpa Earnie.