Does art have the power to transform our relationship with difficult experiences? Join artists Antonia Attwood, Daniel Regan, Celine Marchbank and Jane Fradgley in a discussion exploring ideas around mental illness, loss and relationships.
Metamorphosis is a free event and forms part of Hotel Elephant’s public program which has been made possible through funding from Southwark Council’s Arts and Culture Grant program. There will be an opportunity for informal networking during the evening and drinks will be provided.
Antonia Attwood graduated from BA Hons in Photography in 2014. Her practice in still and moving image explores ideas around the phenomenology of mental health. Antonia’s work aims to illustrate and visually interpret how mental illness ‘feels’. The metaphorical symbols create an attempt to raise awareness and understanding of the mood affectations and the phenomenology of mental illness. The work explored how it feels to be vulnerable and overwhelmed by the world living with a medical condition. It is not about communicating a straightforward message, but it interrogates an idea exploring aspects of that intended message. www.antoniaattwood.com
Daniel Regan is a photographer and arts facilitator whose practice focuses on themes of mental health, well-being and recovery. Daniel studied photography at both BA and MA level at Brighton University and London College of Communication, respectively. During these periods Regan examined both his own role as a mental health service user as well as the benefits of the arts for those affected by emotional difficulties. A key focus of Daniel’s work is the exploration and documentation of emotional states. Daniel is passionate about raising awareness of mental health and runs Fragmentary.org, an arts organisation organising events and showcasing works around this theme. www.danielregan.com
Celine Marchbank is a documentary photographer fascinated by the small details of everyday life. Her work was greatly influenced by the death of her mother when she was starting out as a photographer, and her first major project: Tulip, about the last year of her mother’s life is about to be published as a book by Dewi Lewis. She will be showing this work and talking about the experience of photographing something so personal.
Based in London, she spends her time between personal documentary projects, exhibiting work regularly, and undertaking commercial and editorial work. www.celinemarchbank.com
Jane Fradgley studied M.A Fashion at St.Martin’s School of Art in the late 80s and went on to design for leading tailoring and fashion brands. Fradgley subsequently developed a personal arts practice using photography as her focus on projects relating to emotional states with an empathic approach. The photographic series ‘held’ is into its fifth year of being exhibited and a limited edition book was published in 2015. This body of work unites her passions for both textiles and mental states by documenting the archival strong clothing used in the treatment of those deemed mentally insane.