Through an Open Door 2020/21

Minutes (2021)

Since 2020, a large part of my work has explored abandoned Victorian asylums; particularly the historical archives. I'm interested in the original, institutional space being abandoned, and then transformed into a domestic space decribed as luxury living.

Through An Open Door

A project to explore ways of recording movement, whilst developing work with Midlothian Asylum's Health Archive.

This work was made possible with the support of Creative Scotland, and in spite of huge additional pressures during the pandemic.

I intended to a make a short film, and in the end made two - Minutes (4:35), and Notes (6:00). Both films draw on the experiences shared by people with lived experience of the mental health system (service user and/or staff). Many described the unwelcome feelings of restraint from the increased social isolation, and the longing for escape in its many forms.

There are myriad ways of moving; shifting from one state of mind to another; crossing thresholds so slowly movements are imperceptible.

2020/21