As part of SALA 2024, the highly anticipated launch of the Flock50 coffee table book and exhibition is set to take place at Chapel Hill Winery, coinciding perfectly with the winery’s 50th vintage celebration.
Flock50 is the brainchild of Adelaide-based photographer and makeup artist Grier Neilson, who has crafted a unique, multifaceted experience specifically for women in their fifties. Each participant in Flock50 will be featured in the SALA exhibition, showcasing their framed image, the coffee table book, and will also join Grier in a podcast launching in late August.
This book captures the authentic selves of these women, pairing their images with their favourite quotes, resulting in a collection that celebrates over 2500 years of wisdom. Grier, passionate about capturing the beauty of life at all stages, saw her 50th birthday as the perfect opportunity to celebrate with fifty fabulous women in their fifties.
The project, aptly named ‘Flock’, is a collective celebration of life, paying homage to the bodies that have carried these women through their journeys and expressing gratitude for their future roles. Recognising that many women in their fifties often feel ‘invisible’, Grier’s initiative aims to help them embrace this stage of life, honour self-love, shed inhibitions, and showcase the liberating and wonderful aspects of being aged fifty plus.
“I have recently celebrated my ‘big 5-0’ and I am all too familiar with the rollercoaster of emotions that come with such a momentous milestone,” says Grier. “Many women speak of feeling invisible, and there is a lot of press around this topic. I want to change that narrative. I want women in their fifties to celebrate this decade – it’s a wonderful stage of life with many changes to embrace. We deserve to show that we can still be sexy, body-confident, and relevant.”
Participating in the SALA exhibition will allow these women to be proudly front and centre, rewriting the notion that women of this age should be in the background. This is the aspect Grier is most excited about. With more conversations about smashing ageing stereotypes, thanks to advocates like Paulina Porizkova and Helen Mirren, the timing for an experience like this couldn’t be better.
Fifty women from across Australia have already embraced the first edition of this beautiful book, featuring stunning locations both indoor and outdoor around our great state. With interest growing, Grier is now opening up spaces in SA and taking the experience to Victoria, NSW, and Queensland. Photoshoots for the 2025 Flock50 Edition 2 will commence from August 2024 to December 2024. Women born between 1965 and 1975 are encouraged to participate.
Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Pink Lotus Foundation Australia, supporting women in reclaiming confidence and comfort in their bodies post-breast surgery.
Flock50 Exhibition
Until 31st of August, 2024
Chapel Hill Winery, McLaren Vale
