On the 14th November I was invited to the launch of the 2nd issue of Working Titles: Journal for Practice Based Research published by the Bauhaus Universität, Weimar. It has been a long but fantastic experience working with Xenia and Gabriel of the Working Titles editorial board and my two fantastic peer reviewers, Luise Vormittag and Hayfaa Al-Chalabi of UA; notably, the advice on the naming of the title that came from Luise. I appreciate the generosity of all involved and thank them for dedicating their time, support and expertise, it has been invaluable.

Risky Objects Abstract:

This autoethnographic PhD research utilises personal experience of eating disorders as a lens to critique broader culture. Poor body image will affect most Western women and girls; it is part of our everyday being. Western ideals have been used to construct race, sex, and class hierarchies, and continue to influence our cultural discourse. Although ideals shift over time, the white, thin ideal has been unwavering and othering.

Like the body, the home has also become idealised. Although the home can be experienced as a place of comfort and familiarity, struggles can hide in plain sight. !rough object illustrations mimicking domestic ware, I invite the audience to sit at my childhood dinner table.

Illustration must communicate with an audience and through my object illustrations I aim to develop a methodology to engage groups of women in critical dialogue on body image. However, this topic risks causing distress, meaning a balance between sensitivity and honest testimony is needed. By illustrating open and fragmented narratives I try to create objects that engage audiences while avoiding potential retraumatisation. Each group provides feedback to inform the following round of this reflective and iterative practice. This article describes the first group engagement where I consider how emotion and affect can generate affective resonance.

The full article can be found here: Risky Objects: Illustrating Situated Body Image Experience

The journal can be found here: Issue No. 2/2023 COMPROMISED VISIONS: “Lately, she’s been seeing things differently”

Very excited to hear that Aime (The Rainbow Project) and Niamh (Belfast City Council) have secured an exhibition space at The MAC this coming Sunday (21st May 23). Niamh Kelly, Community Engagement Lead for Belfast City Council says:

“Storied Objects, A Conversation Café with The Rainbow Project BeU group

Come join us on Sunday 21st May, when Storied Objects will be at the table in The MAC.

Over 6 weeks, a group of trans and non-binary people were introduced to still life drawing, ceramics and decal printing. Each of them ran away with their creativity, mapping out a relationship between homely objects and the stories they tell.

The group explored in many forms – playing with clay, curating their own object scenes, collaborating in a zine and through an unexpected kiln malfunction.

The exhibition takes the form of a conversation café, where the participants will be there to celebrate and discuss their processes and their work over a cuppa at the table.”

So very proud of designing and facilitating this series, the verbal feedback from some of the participants really made the hard work worth it (and reminds me to ask Aime and Niamh for the official feedback!). But, I’m even more proud of the participants. To achieve what they have in a short space of time, most never having worked with clay before, and working with such a random brief, each and every person delivered beyond what I expected. They also dealt with a kiln malfunction in the most dignified way when I nearly had a breakdown when I opened it to find it had over-fired and melted the work! Everyone just ran with each session and it was such good fun; lots of belly laughs! Really looking forward to the group feeling some love this weekend.

It’s the final workshop with the Rainbow Project participants and Belfast City Council this week. In this session, I’ll be presenting the finished artwork to the group. I really don’t think they realise how much work they have actually done! Really looking forward to this session.