"Depicting the Invisible "
Startling art inspires, communicates, provokes discussion, brings hope, moves to tears. It takes those who interact with it on an immensely powerful journey. Sharing this power is the purpose of the The Way Through Project. Giving you the opportunity to step out with us on The Way is the point of this campaign. We have already raised £3800 of our £10,000 overall target and saved £2000 through gifts in kind. We need £4,200 through Crowdfunding to bring the power of the Way to others on their own road through life-changing illness and challenge. This will cover online resources, publications and materials for 10 health/wellbeing centres to share with their clients.
The voluntary Project uses the often shocking but always beautiful work produced by untrained artist Alison Chandler during cancer treatment to reach out to patients, their carers, bereaved people, and health professionals and all those facing up to life's challenges. As the world keeps turning around her, it tells stories of universal significance in tumultuous times.
"You are Your own goddess"
The paintings use a wholly original imagery, bright colour and multiple media to depict, with humour and courage, the journey that the artist has taken on the roller-coaster experience that is life. While their power comes from their intimacy, the visual images drawn from daily life and ancient mythology connect us all.
The project includes, from March 2018, a touring public exhibition of approx 50 framed paintings and provision of resources to health/wellbeing venues. They prompt people to explore their own feelings and experiences. They lend opportunities for you to step forward and be recognised as on your own Way or to remember a loved one.
The project has been developed during 2017 by a voluntary group of local health/wellbeing, social enterprise and arts professionals with exhibition and media experience. They have drawn in professional curation support, STV coverage, social media, broadcast expertise and £3600 of the £10000 required plus gifts in kind saving £2000. A documentary is being made and the project is engaging social enterprises and disadvantaged young entrepeneurs in its way forward.
A range of resources will be provided to 10 health/community projects around Aberdeen and provide opportunities for you to be part of the narrative. These include a video presentation telling the story behind the pictures. This uses original music composed for the project. A limited edition high quality photographic book of all 160 pictures will be provided to be kept by the venues and is an acknowledgement opportunity for you. A "Suitcase" installation will enable interaction including opportunities for you to contribute in memory of or to thank others. A website, which can acknowledge your investment, is being developed which will provide links to health and to arts projects as well as further reading on the themes explored through the art.
"Tangled Apple" (detail)
An exhibition of framed paintings and accompanying interactive installation will open at Aberdeen Arts Centre on 1st March with a private view for all supporters. It will then tour Aberdeen Wellbeing Centre, Camphill Newton Dee and Glencraft till July 2018.
The artwork has been created by Alison during recovery from emergency surgery for rare abdominal cancer and during 16 cycles of chemotherapy in the ARI Anchor Unit during 2017.
It focusses on the depiction of the female body, loss of identity as a patient, the use of art in different cultures and religions and evokes strength by the creation of an iconography drawn from life experiences and inspirations as diverse as Mexico and Aborigine, Celtic to Islamic. Testimonials say “In my personal health struggles, the images and the stories they tell, inspired me in ways that paintings have previously failed to do.” and “I was moved to tears, a reaction that has never previously happened with this kind of art”.
"Day 5 of chemo: The Long and Winding Road"
From framing to venues, catering to cataloguing the project is committed to using local businesses and social enterprises. We are working with NHS Grampian Public Participation and ACVO - the Third Sector Interface for Aberdeen to reach the widest possible range of audiences across the city. Art materials, venues, van hire, curation, video are all being provided as in kind donations as is all time on the project. Framing costs amounting to approx £2600 have already been covered. Funds are sought for creation of the limited edition high quality photographic book, website, professionally created catalogue, invitations, limited edition prints, transport and insurance costs. The exhibition will also tour 1 Aberdeenshire venue and 1 East Lothian venue but the minor additional costs are not included in this campaign. Once the exhibition tour is complete the website will become the main outlet and interaction point for the project. The voluntary group is properly constituted with a bank account and the artist is a signatory to neither.