CHARM has kicked off a new intergenerational community project, Doodnormaal, toch? (Perfectly Normal, Right?), bringing together art, literature, and heritage to foster meaningful conversations about the end of life.
In collaboration with Wijkgezondheidscentrum ‘t Vlot (Joline Goossens & Fien Langouche) and the Outreachlab of the Huis van Alijn (Liesa Rutsaert), and under the guidance of Peter Pype and CHARM coördinator, Zoë Ghyselinck, we are uniting eight children and eight seniors from the Ghent neighborhood of Muide-Meulestede-Afrikalaan. Through creative expression, storytelling, and heritage exploration, participants engage in an imaginative dialogue about life’s final chapter—free from taboos.
Inspired by the Swedish Studio Döbra model and made possible through funding from the King Baudouin Foundation (KBS), this project contributes to a compassionate community where discussing grief and loss is normalized. Over six interactive sessions, participants will explore questions such as “Where do we go after death?” and “What does grief feel like?” using heritage objects, literature, and artistic interventions.
By embracing art on prescription, we create a safe space for meaningful intergenerational encounters, ensuring that conversations about end-of-life and mourning are integrated into the community.
