Telling tales: facts, fictions and family mental illness

doorstep-sm

6 – 7.30pm, Thursday 20th November 2014 at ORTUS.

An interdisciplinary conversation about storytelling, affect, and siblings.

The stories we tell, make us who we are, and in families where there is mental illness the way we do this is poses interesting questions. The way we tell our story may affect someone else’s, there may be multiple perspectives on events, and stories which are deeply confidential.

Come and see new animated short – this skin we’re in, and consider how we talk, tell stories, or don’t, about family mental health, from medical, arts and first person perspectives.

‘Have I betrayed them all again by telling the story? Or is it the other way round: would I have betrayed them if I had not told it?’ Amos Oz.

Dr Ruth Charnock: Affect and sibling relationships: a humanities perspective

 Event write-up South London and Maudsley NHS Trust blog

Event registration>

The House of Paper & String wins Deptford X fringe award!

“Truly wonderful work. Very haunting. Charlotte Mullins, Patrick St Paul & I (Bea Denton), were so moved, and very impressed.”

So said the judges and happiness ensued.

Attempt at Home #1

Attempt at Home #1

attempt-at-home-#2

Attempt at Home #2

 

Thanks to all who helped make this happen – particularly Matthew Maddigan and Bob Weatherhead for installation help, Ben Brockett for the animation score, Dave Prosser, Rosie Holtom, Joe Dunthorne, Simon Chambers and Duncan Curtis for animation help. Catherine Orbach for printmaking advice, The Bethlem Gallery, all the team at Deptford X and many more… Full thanks list to come!

The verdict

Thanks to everyone who came to see the show! Had some lovely responses –

“Heartbreaking & sensitive but witty too – brilliant!”

“Powerful, simple, moving, beautiful.”

“Wonderful work. Touching and thought provoking.”

“beautiful film and enchanting pictures – congratulations!”

“so much with so few lines”

And over 350 people saw the show! Big thanks to all at the Bethlem Gallery – a pleasure to work with you!

Sunfayre

Sunfayre printing block

 

We had a busy day’s printmaking workshop at Sunfayre – over 1000 people visited the Bethlem Gallery marquee. We lost track of how many people made prints with us but there were lots of lovely ones made by all ages!

New exhibition opens July 2014 at Bethlem Gallery.

this skin we’re in  

We’re making tea amidst the rubble. The house is feeling fragile.
If you yell the walls tremble and let the light in.

A new story project about daily life in the aftermath set in the shifting borderlands of fact and fiction, you and me. Told through an animation and series of prints, the project examines domesticity, family mental illness and how we absorb our environment.

With thanks to Arts Council England and The Maudsley Charity for funding this project.

look back

The exhibition will be open 11am – 6pm, Wednesday – Friday
26th June – 25th July 2014

* The exhibition will also be open 12 – 5pm on Saturday July 5th as part of Bethlem Royal Hospital’s annual Sunfayre, including live music, talks, arts,  stalls, walks and children’s entertainment.

Bethlem Gallery, Bethlem Royal Hospital,
Monks Orchard Road, BR3 3BX

Nearest station: Eden Park or East Croydon.

An invitation to a conversation…

How do you tell sibling stories? This is an invitation to a conversation about how it’s done, not done, or might be done.

If you have a brother or sister with mental illness would you like to come? It’s 2 – 4 pm on Sunday the 1st of June at The Create Place in Bethnal Green.

Come and see the draft of the animation which is being made as part of this project, have tea and talk about what it’s like to talk, or not talk about being a sibling. Your thoughts and feedback will be much appreciated.

Please register here

Exhibition at Bethlem Gallery

We’re making tea amidst the rubble.

The house is feeling fragile.

If you yell the walls tremble and let the light in.

 

Come and see the show:

Private view: July 2nd 2014

Then open until 25th July.

 

work in progress

We are mapping this terrain with tea and biscuits. Writing, making images and telling stories.

There have been eight meetings so far, in London and Bristol and people have made lovely and evocative things. If you would like to join in, you can find more details and book here:

https://whatwemakeofit.eventbrite.co.uk