Presentation: Death Salon

I had a very special weekend in Brighton, taking part in the Death Salon hosted by @lunaarts_org and @fabricagallery , and supported by Arts Council England.

I presented my Dad Project and spoke honestly about the last seven years of my relationship with my dad, as both a carer and a daughter. It hasn’t been easy, as many of you know. The Covid lockdowns added another layer of trauma, and I know many of us are still suffering from the memories of that time – not being able to say goodbye, and watching our loved ones slowly die behind glass windows or on iPad screens.

It is a collective trauma, so it was therapeutic to be able to share. Some of the feedback I received was incredible. To lay oneself bare in front of a large audience, talking about matters of life, death, caring and illness, is truly a daunting yet exhilarating and affirming experience. It was also wonderful to see my images projected big, and to get them off my tiny computer screen! What’s the point of them being there?

I was in wonderful company, surrounded by very talented creatives: writers, poets and artists.

A big thank you to Dagmara Rudkin and Wendy Pye for creating this opportunity and believing in the idea that creativity can be a vessel for grief, for facilitating such a  supportive space to share ideas on how we can approach our relationship with grief, ageing and mortality together.