Resurgo (I rise again)...
“E cineribus resurgo” – out of the ashes, I rise again. Coping with the aftermath of destruction can be challenging. However, once the embers have died and the rains have cooled, we are left with a fertile dust. Out of these ashes, something new can emerge, form and grow.
At 6 metres high, Resurgo re-re-uses the historic burnt timbers from Hope & Renewal to dramatise the movement from the horizontal to the vertical, as if the material is rising again and heralding a new future.
Resurgo builds on the output of Creative Wellbeing Workshops that helped people to explore 'hope' and move on after set-backs. The project aims to promote wellbeing and social cohesion, for groups including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly people experiencing mental health issues. The integrated arts approach gives people different ways to work creatively, to access their experiences of set-backs, process them and move on in ways that are meaningful to them, (re)connecting with nature and the natural world.
Resurgo Creative Wellbeing Workshops
"Working with dedicated support workers, other artists and student volunteers from Exeter University, we explored building strength and resilience by noticing and recording things that make us feel good about ourselves."
Strength and Resilience
Gathering a team of artist facilitators, I co-led a series of Creative Wellbeing Workshops with clients of charity Headway Devon and United Response. We explored building hope, strength and resilience. During the workshops, participants created special boxes that could be taken away to store treasures and memories. Some of these were prompted by creative interventions using music, movement, painting, writing and clay.
After these workshops, J said “It was interesting to explore music and to try something new with links between music and art.” K shared “It was great that we could draw to the music without anyone judging us. I realise that I’ve drawn what’s going on for me in my life right now and I’m going to share this with my family.”
You can read a short PDF report of the initial workshops with Headway here.
