The modest gallery at Elevator Studios is becoming a useful resource for local artists, and the latest exhibition here proves the importance of giving that space.
Silence is Broken explores themes of sexual violence to raise awareness and actively offer support to other survivors.
It’s obviously important for exhibitions like this to offer directions to professional support (the artists are raising funds for RASA Merseyside), but it’s also essential that the work tell an its own story, particularly when it’s one of healing and recovery.
With that, there’s a very immediate offer of routes to healing by embracing some of the healing process of the artists themselves. From caring for houseplants and the rituals that entails, to immersing yourself in the nature world.
Mic is a brilliant communicator in that respect, sharing not just the processes of recovery, but the value of them.
Her work in Independents Biennial this year, in collaboration with Heavy Digestations, Dongni Liang and Georgina Tyson, saw her leading workshops in how slow, intentional, eating can be an act of gratitude, and a route to healing by extension.
In this show, she shares her fondness for angel numbers (11:11, 22:22 for example) and the way they connect her to both spiritual forces of care and others who are experiencing the same moment.
Gary Harper’s woodland paintings are a departure from his usual work, but contextualized well in accompanying text prompting very specific sites for healing, including Formby Woods, which have provided the artist with grounding as part of his own healing journey.
This was a really powerful exhibition by four artists who know the subject and how to use their experience of rebuilding to help others; Michaela Darbyshire, Gary Harper, Fai McCabe & Deborah Saks
Sadly, by the time you read this the exhibition will be over but follow the artists at the end of this article for updates of the ongoing project, which will no doubt return in some other form.
——
Artists:
Fai McCabe
@faiMccabe
Michaela Darbyshire
@mics_art_fix
Gary Harper
@GaryHarperArt
Deborah Saks
@deborahsakscollage
Support resources can be found at https://www.rasamerseyside.org/
Words, Kathryn Wainwright
