What if…

We are furnished with wings; able to fly.

Distributive by design; planting memories in those we love.

Before returning to earth as seed, flower, feather.

What if…the sun doesn’t go down.

I am Fledging is an interdisciplinary, participatory artwork exploring grief, loss and death. It is designed with collaborative, power-sharing, co-created processes throughout. The artwork culminates in a series of photographs that form an exhibition, combined with an interactive, live-art performance during selected public viewings.

The artwork will first be exhibited at Chester Contemporary Art Space (CASC) from 16 July – 13 August 2022

Explorations

Although grief, loss and death are themes we all encounter, western society does not offer many opportunities to explore these aspects of our lives publicly, creatively and in conversation with others. Instead, we are mostly conditioned to carry fears, uncertainties, hopes and experiences privately. Sometimes we explore them through discreet interactions with Therapists or Faith Leaders, in the pages of self-help books or Holy texts, amongst anonymous support groups, or through sanctioned outpourings at moments of large-scale public grief.

But what might be gained in life, through creatively and openly exploring our relationship with grief, loss and death?

This is a question I’ve personally considered from an early age. I first experienced the death of a relative when I was a young child, organised my first funeral aged 16, witnessed my first death aged 17, lost both parents in my mid-twenties and currently have friends and family living with advanced cancer.

Through my work as both a Socially-Engaged Artist and Celebrant, in recent years I have begun to explore the subject much more creatively; I Am Fledging is the most recent embodiment of this process.

Process

First, I issued a public call-out, inviting people to volunteer to become Co-creators on the project. I was humbled by the level of interest and the desire for people to work through the project’s themes creatively
Three Co-creators were selected and a series of online conversations were organised, between myself and each participant
Each Co-creator was invited to plan, prepare then direct a photoshoot that communicated their experiences and emotions relating to the three themes
As an instrument of visual communication, experimentation and collaboration, a remit of the brief was to utilise me within each shot as a visual representation and continuity of the themes being explored.

For me, birds have become an image and metaphor that resonates with my personal relationship with the themes. One particular artwork that summarises my sense of this is the poem Fledging by Rob Cowen.

Following the loss of a friend he wrote and gave away this poem to the public as a gift; it speaks to me profoundly and inspired this project theoretically, emotionally and visually.

How, where and to what extent I (the themes) are presented in the shot, communicates ideas that the Co-creator was exploring through their process
A photoshoot was organised at a meaningful location of the participant’s choice, to create and direct the shots and images they had planned. These were taken by awesome Photographer Claire Walmsley Griffiths who became another co-collaborator on the project
Curating the shoot, each Co-creator decided if they were present in the photograph, or remained solely behind the lens. Additionally, they were invited to include their own personal and meaningful artefacts within the shoot, if desired. Additionally, Claire issued an invitation to each participant to take hold of the camera and physically take some of the shots within the photoshoot.
Participants were lastly responsible for selecting images for inclusion in the upcoming exhibition, collaborating with Claire on edits and visual preferences; intentionally withdrawing control from the Lead Artist and further nurturing the project’s intentions for power-sharing.

As Director of Photography, co-creators became both subject and artist; inviting audiences a glimpse into their reflections on what it means to exist… before we don’t.

What Next?

Following the exhibition at CCAS in July-August 2022, I Am Fledging has scope to develop further in a wide range of settings. In particular I’m keen to work with Healthcare professionals, particularly those who have experienced a lot of grief in recent years. Also, grief support services and those working, living and being supported by Hospices.

However, grief comes in many forms and therefore the project has the possibility to resonate in a wide range of settings and communities.

Additionally, the project’s process and outcome could also explore other themes. All conversations I am keen to pursue with a wide-range of organisations, services and funders.

Below are a small selection of images taken at the photoshoot, but not chosen by co-creators for the I Am Fledging exhibition in Chester at CCAS.