Join us in September at London’s Southbank Centre for our next in-person artist peer group of 2024.
Our artist peer groups are an opportunity for artists exploring health and wellbeing in their practice to gain feedback and support on their projects, ideas or challenges that they are facing. The space is for active feedback, meaning that artists aren’t sharing finished works, but asking for specific support from others attending the session. Together we pool resources and provide feedback in a supportive environment. There’s time at the event to meet others working at the intersection of arts and health, and connect, too. Click here to read more about how the groups work.
Our artists this month are Claire Sunho Lee and and Matthew Somerville. Claire’s work involves interrogating her own bizarre illness related memories, and in this session she is keen for the audience to feedback on a number of smells she is developing for her project. Matthew runs Wondering Minds, a community Interest company researching and providing alternative solutions to the mental health crisis through collaborative group experiences centred on art, storytelling and nature.
Read on for more information about their practices and what they will each be sharing.
This session is facilitated by artists Daniel Regan and Paloma Tendero.
Want to share your work at a future group? Fill out our application form.
Image: Claire Sunho Lee
About Claire Sunho Lee.
Throughout childhood and into adulthood, Claire has been reminded of random imagery in her head, of the memories she questioned were hers. The scenes are vague but deeply embedded, causing her to live in the in-betweenness of these dream-like realities. Over time, uncertainty has escalated, becoming progressively overwhelming. She always questioned what is beyond what seems to be. One day, her cousin accidentally told her that she (Claire) had leukaemia when she was little.
When one remembers something, they are remembering the last time they remembered an event, not the actual event. This ongoing project consists of three components: photographs, an AI installation, and an olfactory (smell) piece.
Claire is currently focusing on composing smells of hospitals and clinical environments in order to extend the audience's visual experience of the memories to that of olfactory. She recreates a part of her blurred childhood moments and presents a sensory trigger for the viewer to immerse themselves in her deeply personal narrative, while encouraging them to revisit their own and interact.
Find out more about Claire:
Claire’s website
Claire’s Instagram: @claireslee93
Images: Matthew Somerville / Wondering Minds CIC
About Matthew Somerville.
Matthew Somerville is a documentary filmmaker working in a collaborative way with people to tell stories which draw on the complexity of the human condition and our relationship to the world around us. His first first feature film SAVA - supported by Doc Society in 2021 - went on to play at film festivals around the world and win awards. In 2013 he founded production company Sava Films and in 2021 co-founded community interest company Wondering Minds to work on collaborative filmmaking projects around mental health and community building. He is currently working on two feature films, one about ritual in the UK, the other an experimental housing project in Tanzania as well as collaborating with Mind to use biographical filmmaking for creative therapy and empowerment.
Matthew will be discussing biographical filmmaking as a tool for therapy through the eyes of the Unfolding Minds project that ran in partnership with Brent, Wandsworth and Westminster Mind. Using bottom up storytelling techniques the project creates a space for “non filmmakers” to use their personal stories to inspire a short film and after 14 weeks of production we have a series of community screenings where we take the work out into the world. As well as watching a short film this gathering will create a space for discussion around personal/professional boundaries, story as a tool for therapy and ideas for how these techniques can be pushed and developed in the future.
Find out more about Matthew & Wondering Minds:
More info about this event.
No creative experience is necessary - just a sense of curiosity and willingness to be supportive to our presenting artists.
Everyone is welcome at this event, regardless of whether you’re an artist, healthcare professional, or general member of the public.
The event takes place within Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. We’ll email you a few days before with the specific room and a map. You may want to arrive a little early if you’re unfamiliar with the building.
Refreshments (soft drinks / water) are provided. There is a bar if you want to get something specific.
Note on Self Care: The nature of our organisation means that we platform and support the voices of artists that are exploring personal experiences (their own or others) that can sometimes focus on complex issues including health, disability, race, the body, marginalisation, mental/physical health and more. We always encourage you to consider how to self-resource what you need before, during and after engaging with our activities. You can access a list of support resources here.
You’ll need to be aged 16+ to attend.
Questions etc.
If you're not sure if this event is for you or if you have any questions, including about accessibility, please contact info@artsandhealthhub.org.
Cost.
Free!