IL Project Vision
Internal Landscapes - Project Vision
In my creative investigation into Lewisham’s meaningful places and how they inspire and shape its people, I wanted to bring locals together to talk about the place we all share rather than the diversity of our differences. I also wanted to highlight the generous people who actively contribute to the wellbeing of the borough. I based my proposal on neurologist and psychiatrist Boris Cyrulnik’s work, into how our environments are sculpting our brains and contributing to who we are. We Are Lewisham was the starting point for my research, and I have returned time after time to this phrase. I was interested in revealing the shared place that brings us together. In this project ‘we’ suggests something that binds us together, an elusive and inescapable connection.
To celebrate the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture, I actively engaged in conversations with different Council teams, community libraries, local organisations and art institutions, aiming to encourage thinking from different perspectives to inform policy on social engagement and inclusive practices. We opened up a creative investigation into places that are meaningful to Lewisham residents, sparked borough-wide conversations about how the places we inhabit contribute to our identity, and invited people to experience and reflect on how we create a welcoming, safe and inclusive society.
More info: Art and Policy: Research, Art Book and Collective Exhibition
This project and the community building programme we offered was designed for Lewisham residents, institutions and Council. My main focus was the process and for the project to take shape and gain meaning through people’s contributions. Designed to include and connect, our project was created in the spirit of promoting joyful collaborations, openness towards others, generosity, creativity and respect.
At the start, when asked about my vision, I wrote, “in a world constantly shifting balance, it is important that we ground ourselves within a vision of solidarity and welcome. This collaboration with the Council and communities will shine a light on the voices and actions of different local residents and institutions contributing to the harmony and wellbeing of Lewisham. Using art as a platform, together we will reflect, exchange knowledge and collaborate. We will work to adopt and empower a culture of generosity, respect and inclusion”.
Exhibition and book launch video here: Internal Landscapes at the Horniman Museum
Photo by Arek Golosz.