I have just started a placement with Wendy Gallagher (Arts and Health Co-ordinator) at The Whitworth Gallery in Manchester. My placement encompasses a number of different areas: within The Whitworth Gallery, The Manchester Museum and the Manchester Children’s Hospital. Due to the gallery and the museum being under the 'umbrella' of manchester university - recently, the two have combined meaning many staff now work between the two. This is great as it means I get to work very diversely and can 'network' with a number of different people. Wendy has developed a partnership with the hosptial - in particular, the residential psychiatric children's ward which here, I will refer to as 'Galaxy'. Having all these places to work between, the first few weeks have been very chaotic and tiring! But I think its a really good role for me as I love to do lots of differnet things and always be moving! (Talking of moving -walking between the three institutions is going to keep me fit!!) I have a few different roles and responsibilites, including being a teaching assistant for a residential school: where I will be planning and leading a teaching module inspired by the Dark Matters exhibition. I will also be helping with general admin tasks, research on the collection within The Whitworth and be painting a wall mural to help 'heal the hospital enviroment'.
I will be writing a blog for Wendy each week (to help her update her role), so I figure I might as well use that here too! I will post a link to her page on a following post as well as pictures and any other updates!
This is my first blog as an Intern with Wendy Gallagher at the Whitworth Gallery. My first two weeks have been an exciting introduction to Arts and Health!
I have been able to explore both the gallery and the museum to inspire a programme of study - of which I have been given the lead on - at the Children’s hospital.
Part of this exploration was going on a tour with the curator of the current Dark Matters show in The Whitworth. I will be using certain pieces from this show as starting points for their art focus in classes after half term. It was good to have a bit more knowledge about the show and specific works. It has given me a lot to think about in terms of how I angle the programme of study. Which pieces do I pick? How many should have main focus? How will I ensure that it is not too directed and that the young people are still able to be creative and individual?
Alongside this, I have begun researching composition and materials for a revamp I will be part of in one of the meeting rooms in Galaxy house. By doing this, I will be part of the initiative to ‘Heal the Hospital Environment’. Wanting to follow a tropical rainforest theme, I plan to explore colours, shapes and layering in a vibrant way – with the starting point of paper marbling. The aim of the project is to make the meeting room warm, friendly and less sterile. I am keen to get the young people staying in the centre involved (as after all they are ultimately the users of this space) and ideally I would like some of their work to be directly part of the display, not just inspiring a mural. To do this, I plan to start with the playful activity of ink lifting as a warm up exercise to using the marbled result as inspiration for further designs/furnishings and/or for use as a collage within a wall mural. I am yet to experiment how a collaging technique will work (keeping the shape of the leaf and looking professional) and if this doesn’t work, I have planned other inclusive activities e.g. making tropical animals out of clay for display, experimenting with beads, wire, and soft furnishings.
As this is my first time working with others on an inclusive art project, I have to keep reminding myself to keep the idea flexible to allow for ideas and inspiration from the children and their work. I also have to bear in mind the capability and levels of the children involved, including what areas of art they enjoy doing. I plan to discuss any ideas I have for both projects with staff in the hospital, Wendy and artist Lucy Burscough before going ahead to ensure the above happens.
Next week, I will post images from the ink lifting session with more info on any changed plans!
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