DIMH2021 DIGITAL ART GALLERY
An Online Vigil; “Watch and Pray" Violence Video Poem by Artist/ Writer Jenny Meehan
I created this video poem over March 2021. My understanding of a vigil is that it might be a place where we stand together, and draw our attention to the shared experience of gender based violence. As a survivor, shame can be isolating, yet for even those women and girls who don’t have a direct experience, they, too, feel the effects of gender based violence of many kinds in our societies and communities. It leaves its mark. It devalues us, making us a commodity. It objectifies. It deletes. It silences. It can destroy a sense of self, and rob a person of a concept of their value. In my video, I read a poem I initially wrote way back in 2013. You also hear variations of the reading; though they are spoken by me in the video, my intention is that they symbolise many different peoples voices; suggesting not only a singular testimony but a corporate one. There are many different visual references in the short film, but they are best just viewed without my additional comments I think. READ MORE.
“SH4422” by Ohene Takyi
Painting Summary: I painted this in May 2020 in the middle of the pandemic when everything seemed uncertain, I was inspired by my feelings of loneliness, isolation and anxiety about the future and what was to come ; It made me more appreciative of touch, human interaction and things I used to take for granted before the pandemic. In the wake of my loneliness I found peace in knowing that paintings were something I could control even though my life I knew it was spiralling out of control.
Here I Am by Shawn Smith
Poem Summary: I wrote this poem when I was first diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive Type. Within minutes of taking Ritalin for the first time the immense fog that clouded my thought process dissipated and for the first time in my life I could think clearly. It was as if the pieces of the puzzle that was my life that never seemed to fit all of the sudden fit with ease. After writing the poem I returned to upgrade as a mature student. My previous grade point average undiagnosed was 2.3. I earned a new gpa of 3.7 and was accepted to a Masters of Education Program for Counselling Psychology on academic probation and graduated a year later at the top of my class. To me, the poem is about shedding the negative thoughts that were imposed upon me and starting to realize my own potential.
Here I am
A man, age 33
No longer a victim
Of my perceived self fulfilling prophecy
A label bestowed upon me
By my friends and family
Based on distorted preconceptions and misinformation
So, here I am
A man transformed
Breaking down social barriers and taking the world by storm
Redefining this thing called the norm
“Let Go” by Artist JClay
"Let Go" came as a result of a recurring theme from friends I was helping through their problems. They couldn't let things go. I understand this because I've been there. Not only that, we are in a culture that salutes the person with the seemingly worst past as if they are owed something for it. But what isn't realized is how replaying the past over and over reinforces it and causes the dreamer to experience that pain even when the event is no longer happening. The more they replay it in their minds and share it, the more real it becomes. After a while, the dreamer can only see everything through the eyes of his or her pain. After realizing this, I had to let go of my own past. I even mourned it for a short time, which is a testament to how invested in it I was. The difference in mood was so tremendous that I knew this was the only way to be. I got started writing and "Let Go" was the result. Since its release, I've received hundreds (maybe thousands) of messages stating how the song has helped people truly let go of past traumas.
Some comments on YouTube about the song’s impact on them:
“I just want to take a few moments to tell you thank you. I needed this. I really did. Your presence showed up when I needed it the most. I hope others like myself will run into this and perceive the message the same way. I have been battling with “let go” for a long time now. The message could not be any more clear today. Thank you man! “
“This song changed my life and how i see things Bro ain’t no one make fire music like this”
“This song found the lost soul deep inside my being”
“U really healed me bro”
Healing Through The Songs of Rabindra Nath Tagore by Amrita
Listen to Amrita's Journey - how she began to feel the existence of a woman inside her and then finally accepted her true identity. Songs of Tagore helped her to understand herself better. Life is not a bed of roses for everyone and especially for people like Amrita who have nothing to expect from this society. Songs of Tagore also helped her to understand, if she has to love, she will have to learn how to face pain and a time will come when this pain will not be able to affect her anymore. Read more by clicking the video.
Ekla Chalo Re (written by R. Tagore) Sung by Amitava Sarkar
Jodi Tor by Amitava Sarkar is a bangla classcic written by the Great R. Tagore, from the music album 'Songs of the Caravan...Journey of the spirit', India's first music album sung by transgender women. 9 different trans women from 9 different states have come together to sing, record and establish their voice for the first time in India.
Paintings by Louie Andreas
I have been working in mental health for 19 years, I am a level 3 support coordinator. I promote music and art to support people with mental health this includes partnership working with other agencies to help people enjoy music and art. The edited Mural you see of the underwater scene I painted at work amongst other murals. These murals brighten up the office for all customers, visitors and for staff. My inspiration is nature, light and shadow and I use colour to enhance light and shadow. If you look at shadow there are other layers of colour and also in light, for example, the sky, trees and water.
chalk/dust by Dr. Adelina Ong
At this time of writing in June 2021, 127,841 people have died of COVID-19 in the UK and the UK has the sixth highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the world. Many more have died during the lockdowns of causes that are not related to COVID-19. Co-op Funeralcare, UK’s biggest funeral provider, estimated that ‘9.7 million mourners have been denied the opportunity to say their last goodbye at their loved one’s funeral’ during the first lockdown (Co-op Funeralcare 2020).
Between March 2020 to March 2021, whilst the UK endured three national lockdowns, I conducted a series of applied performance workshops where participants were invited to create poems that they might chalk on the street during their weekly trip to the supermarket. These applied performance workshops were conducted over Zoom. I often begin my applied performance workshops by inviting my participants to create abstract sculptures that represent their fears using furniture, food or laundry that they find around the home. During the pandemic, many of the fear sculptures seemed to express a fear of death or loss. At the end of the workshop, I invited participants to create a poem formed of words of comfort or support that they wished they had received during lockdown. Click “READ MORE” to read an excerpt of what participants wrote in the Zoom chatbox:
“She's lost it they say” by Smriti Joshi
I am a clinical psychologist by profession and deeply influenced by Dr Thomas Szaz work. In the past 20 years I have come across multiple instances of over-riding patient consent and forceful institutionalisation in addition to forcing medicines down the patient's throat. Lack of insight and ability to give consent are stated as reasons for caregivers taking these decisions on behalf of the patient. This poem was written many years ago, I was an early career psychologist then, and had been assigned a young girl who" had seemed so happy and content when she first presented in the clinic - she was a quadriplegic (due to a car accident)..she came in gesturing and what appeared like talking to self and her parents were feeling embarrassed and ashamed of her behavior. A detailed work up with the family revealed that she seemed to be conversing with her lover and could see him and talk to him. Treatment was initiated and as it progressed, she appeared to be her usual self (low and quiet) and her parents seemed happy but to me it then seemed as to why we couldn't let her be..with something that was helping her be happy and feel that love she felt she would never ever get now that she was better. It just brought the following lines by Dr. Thomas Szasz to life "If you talk to talk to God, you are are praying; if God talks to you, you have schizophrenia"
"She s Lost it" They Say
It's such a lovely feeling
I have him calling my name all day
I am not lonely anymore
She's lost it, they say
but I am happy to my core.
Oh! can't you see it..the bliss on my face
I no longer hate it, this space we share
I am not even here, I have my own secret place
I am so busy in my world, not a minute to spare
She's lost it they say
They wouldn't if they would really care.
No pain , no memories
each day s a new day
Oh! I see you can't do it ...the way I live my life
"I have lost it" they say...they can't see me happy
pushing pills down my throat, ECT's to make me feel deprived
It's all going away--him, his voice
Its all coming back-the loneliness and oh this worldly noise
So you really couldn't see it...and called me mad
or was it an issue to see me so glad
This is what you call being sane
taking away my happiness , the moments of bliss?
institutionalise me ..pain and only more pain
Is that even humane?