Engagement

at Creative Health Camden

We curated an exhibition in the downstairs gallery and corridors of James Wigg GP practice in partnership with Creative Health Camden. The exhibition showcases work created by participants living with learning disabilities who attend our Thursday sessions, as well as the work of our Engage Here team members.

Takuhon inspired paper cast sculptures of stones.

Line drawings inspired by the sculptures.

Titled “Field to Fold,” the exhibition was fittingly assembled on Earth Day, as the body of work was born from explorations with rice paper. Initially inspired by workshops on Japanese techniques like Orizomegami (a form of paper dyeing) and Takuhon (a method of rubbing to create impressions), these explorations quickly evolved into something more. They became a broader investigation of nature, form, and color, pursued both independently and within a workshop setting.

Hand sewn Takuhon mandala.

Paper marbling mounted onto stained orizomegami.

The exhibition ultimately featured a diverse range of paper-based art. Key pieces included paper casts of rocks that were transformed into sculptures with the addition of string, which then inspired a series of subsequent line drawings. A spectrum of orizomegami prints was also on display, ranging from simple undyed folded paper to pieces that were heavily over-dyed, giving them an almost neolithic appearance. In honor of the Year of the Snake, the artists created origami snakes using natural dyes. Additionally, Takuhon rubbings, which were used to capture the textures of nature from the GP practice’s own garden, were combined with hand sewing to create bulbous mandalas, and other works included paper marbling using the Japanese technique of suminagashi.

Different stages of the orizomegami process.

Experimental mark making combined with takuhon

The exhibition should be seen as holistic success, benefiting not only the participants but also a wider audience. It served as a welcome respite for patients visiting the GP practice, offering a distraction from the anxiety of their upcoming appointments. It also gave our Engage Here team members, who typically work behind the scenes, an opportunity to express themselves creatively.

Rubbings of foliage from the James Wigg GP practice garden.

Orizomegami patterns.

Further to that, the exhibition was not only a proud moment for participants to see their work on display, but it also played a role in future workshops. The artworks served as a reference point for creating new pieces.

This project has been made possible by the National Lottery Community Fund.