Mental Health and Justice:
A 5year project focused on developing clinical, legal, and public policy strategies that protect people in contexts where they can be vulnerable, and respect their agency and autonomy.
I was acting as an artist researcher collaborating with clinical researcher Andrew McWilliams who’s work focuses on metacognition (The ability to think about thinking and regulate your own thoughts) and asks questions around discussion making ability and support.
PART 1:
Conversations with Andrew processed as creative research:
PART 2:
Short film of Andrew curating component parts of my artworks as an experiment in letting go of control of my thoughts/ process.
PART 3:
I conceived and designed ‘Performing Metacognition’ - an online participatory artwork using text and drawing tools, alongside a printable PDF. I invited people to respond to a series of prompts taken from legislation and parts of imagery created above, which I then displayed at the Bethlem Gallery. You can view Performing Metacognition here https://performing-metacognition.com/
I conceived and designed ‘Performing Metacognition’ - an online participatory artwork using text and drawing tools, alongside a printable PDF. I invited people to respond to a series of prompts taken from legislation and parts of imagery created above, which I then displayed at the Bethlem Gallery. You can view Performing Metacognition here https://performing-metacognition.com/
PART 4:
Residency: Out of the Head and Into theBody:
For several days over September, I took over Bethlem Gallery as a residency space, trying to foreground feeling and immediacy over thinking and contemplation through making a series of new large-scale artworks. Could I feel my way in order to create something authentic and true? I gave space to my instinct, moved out of my head and into my body, working with a focus on physicality and materials.
I also used responses from ‘Performing Metacognition in the residency space to think through ideas about control and agency
PART 5: Art and Justice:
Bethlem Gallery was transformed into a test-site to respond to questions raised through public engagement with the Mental Health & Justice project.
Art and Justice looked at how we as artists make space for other voices and perspectives on ‘the challenges that arise at the complex interface where mental health and mental healthcare interact with principles of human rights’.