How do you encourage a fresh look at objects in a museum? We find are drawn magpie-like to the shiny and the bizarre and the familiar too – but what do we miss? What stories are hidden within these bits and pieces of the past?
 |
| Feejee mermaids at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery |
Warrington Museum is running a new project in collaboration with carers, who are writing about the memories and flights of fancy that come to them when searching through the museum collections. The idea is to humanise the objects, rather than thinking about dates and latin name tags – and who better to do that than people who care for others?
The project is run by arts organisation arthur+martha, artist Lois Blackburn and poet Philip Davenport. Lois describes the response from carers who have got involved: “It's been funny, moving, companionable – and the work that has been made is all of those things too. This has been one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever worked on. My little boy was green with envy when he heard about us rooting about in the Star Wars collection they've got here! The idea is that the sessions give carers a break from their busy lives, to do something completely and utterly different. It's a fun distraction, but people can also talk more seriously if they want.”
If you are a carer living in Warrington or nearby, you'd be very welcome to join in on Tuesday workshops, morning or afternoon. Please contact Warrington Museum & Art Gallery directly. http://www.warringtonmuseum.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment