Friday 8 March 2024

The Radical Joy of Unmasking – A Collaborative Exhibition and Play Space.

In the lead up to, and during Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024, Cardiff Umbrella will host a residency, collaborative exhibition and play space created by University of South Wales (USW) MA Arts Practice (Arts, Health and Wellbeing) student Rachel Kinchin and members of Neurospicy Play Date.

Neurospicy Play Dates are weekly creative wellness sessions for neurodivergent adults that started in the summer of 2023. These play dates emerged as part of Rachel’s MA. Many neurodivergent people find it challenging to access their own creativity and wellness and Rachel wanted to create a safe space to re-connect with her own creativity and enable others to do so too, whilst also body doubling; a concept which can help to boost productivity for neurodivergent people. In these sessions, they create, connect and chat about their lived experiences of neurodivergency, explore the concept of masking and unmasking and also how to thrive in a neurotypical world whilst unmasking to be their authentic selves.

The Radical Joy of Unmasking aims to put neurodivergent creatives front and centre in a playful, multi-disciplinary public exhibition that aims to shine a light on invisible impairments, connect with the wider community and allow everyone who comes into the space to play. 

This exhibition is a sharing of their journey towards re-connecting with their individual and collective creativity and you’re invited to step inside and get playful. It will reimagine what an exhibition can be, not only as a place for looking but also a place to contribute.

Rachel has brought together a partnership between herself, Cardiff Umbrella and Benthyg Cymru. Benthyg Cymru have purchased art materials for the residency, exhibition and play space. Art materials purchased by Benthyg Cymru will be available to loan from Splott Benthyg Y Sblot after the exhibition. The idea is to make the arts more accessible and inclusive to more people.

The exhibition and play space is intergenerational - everyone is welcome, although there might be some fruity language on show. There will always be neurodivergent adults present, ear plugs and fidget spinners will be in the space for people to use if needed. Let Rachel know if you have any specific inclusion needs, or if you want to visit by yourself, with her or someone else as access support. 

Rachel will also be taking Neurospicy Play Date to the launch of Neurodivergent Friendly Cardiff where they will be hosting a pop up play date stall delivering creative wellness sessions. Artwork created can either be taken home for a small donation, which in turn will allow more neurodivergent people to access their creative wellness, or your work can become part of the collaborative exhibition in Cardiff Umbrella.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/caerdydd-syn-deall-niwrowahaniaeth-neurodivergent-friendly-cardiff-tickets-825029925717?aff=oddtdtcreator

“For my final MA project, I wanted to create something that celebrates making art for your own joy and wellbeing. The connection and creativity that we have harnessed as part of these play dates is something I wanted to share with others, and an exhibition partnering with Umbrella and Benthyg, two really meaningful partners, during neurodiversity celebration week, feels like the ideal way to share that. The idea is that the exhibition will grow as the week goes on, making space for many neurodiverse people to join us in taking a moment for creative wellness and ultimately, celebrating difference. If you visit on the first and last days of the exhibition, expect a transformation! Using anything we can lay our hands on, from peg dolls to a Pooki Press, we want to remind people that we are all artists.” Rachel Kinchin, lead artist. 

“I’m so pleased to be part of this collaborative exhibition both as an artist and in my capacity as Director of Benthyg Cymru. Combining my two passions so perfectly, having the printing press and other items available to borrow to make art more accessible, save people money and space in their home, is a joy. It’s not easy being neurodivergent and Rachel has created a warm and inspiring space to support us all to tell our stories in our art and I’m glad to be able to support as Benthyg Cymru to give something back”.

Becky Harford, Benthyg Cymru.

About Artists

Rachel Kinchin is an intersectional feminist, Cardiff-born and bred, she has worked in the arts for 20+ years. She was diagnosed with ADHD whilst studying for her MA, aged 44. She encourages herself and others to embrace their brains, get playful and loves bringing people together for creative wellness and collective connection. Rachel is passionate about inclusion, especially for historically excluded people. Exploring her own creative practice alongside others has become intertwined with re-learning her brain and re-discovering her own creativity. Her multi-disciplinary arts practice explores her brain which she feels is like a fizzing neon light that will not switch off by night. Perfect imperfections, invisible impairments, and wonky symmetry using colour, texture and a multitude of materials. Rachel is an arts and wellness practitioner, creative producer, inclusion consultant and access support worker. She is the Artistic Director of PWSH and will complete her Masters in April 2024.

Becky Cee is Co-founder and Director of Benthyg Cymru. She is also an artist, instigator, poet and activist. Not through choice but compulsion. Becky has PTSD and is ADHD and her art can be erratic and unsymmetrical just like her. Using whatever medium is at hand, Becky can translate nebulous notions into narrative which can be both confusing and relatable to the audience. For more information on Libraries of Things or Becky’s art:

Becky@benthyg-cymru.org  https://www.instagram.com/becky.cee/  

Teri Otti is a mixed media artist, digital illustrator and nail artist. Her current work is informed by her life as a queer parent to neurodivergent children, the navigation of a separation and the emotional fallout of receiving her ADHD diagnosis two years ago at age 39. Improvisation and play are at the forefront of her practice. www.instagram.com/teri.otti www.terriotti.com

Heather Williams is a Deaf BSL user and is ADHD and has many years experience in the third sector - from managing projects, fundraising and welfare rights, to working with D/deaf and disabled people. Heather has recently transferred those skills to the creative sector and has become a Creative Freelancer in project management, BSL Consultancy, BSL Tour Guides, Workshop Facilitating and PA support for neurodiverse artists. Heather has a passion for the Arts and promoting accessible events.

Jane Oriel is a reluctant visual artist who has been in denial of her creativity all her adult life. She felt safer supporting the endeavours of others as an exhibition curator (Newport and New York), life model and music journalist/manager/promoter. While she awaits her ADHD diagnosis, she is exploring both herself, her lived experience and her burgeoning arts practice.

About Partners

Cardiff Umbrella

Umbrella is an artist-led, community-focused and socially-driven art collective, founded by a small team of three Welsh practising artists — our ethos is ‘art for all’. Their aim is to become a working space that will have a positive contribution to our community.

Benthyg Cymru

Back in 2017 Becky, Jane and Ella set up Wales's first Library of Things (LoTs), which is a place to borrow useful and fun things that you might not be able to afford or have space for. Benthyg Cymru want to make borrowing as easy as popping out for a loaf of bread by supporting communities to develop their own Libraries. They want a Welsh network of Libraries so you can borrow whatever you need wherever you are. There are currently 22 Libraries in the network. Find out more about LoTs and the work of Benthyg Cymru here: www.benthyg-cymru.org 

MA Arts Practice (Arts, Health and Wellbeing) at the University of South Wales

The course is located within the practical world of Arts and Health, where arts practitioners work on the improvement of health environments through arts interventions, or in raising awareness of health issues through the delivery of artworks and events, or through offering individuals and groups practical experiences/projects/workshops that aim to improve wellbeing.

Schedule

Residency: Wednesday 6 March – Thursday 14 March 

Opening Night / Public View: Friday 15 March, 5pm-8pm

Collaborative Exhibition and Play Space: Saturday 16 March – Saturday 23 March. Rachel will be hosting drop-in sessions throughout this time. 

Open Play Dates: 

Thursday 7 March, 1-3pm - Loom Weaving with Heather Williams (BSL)

Friday 8 March, 5-7pm - Mask Making with Ren Wolfe

Thursday 14 March, 3-5pm - Collaging with Teri Otti 

Saturday 16 March, 1-3pm - Lino Printing, Pooki Press with Becky Cee

Opening Times: 

Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - 11.00-18.00

Tuesday & Thursday - 11.00-17.00 

Sunday - Closed

GLOSSARY OF TERMS / ACCEPTABLE LANGUAGE

Neurodiverse - “Neurodiverse is a popular term that’s used to describe differences in the way people’s brains work. The idea is that there’s no “correct” way for the brain to work. Instead, there is a wide range of ways that people perceive and respond to the world, and these differences are to be embraced and encouraged.” (Child Mind Institute Website).

Neurodivergent - “Neurodivergence is the term for when someone's brain processes, learns, and/or behaves differently from what is considered "typical."

Formerly considered a problem or abnormal, scientists now understand that neurodivergence isn’t inherently an issue for the individual and that it has a large societal benefit. Not all presentations of neurodivergence are a disability, like synesthesia, but all are a difference in how the brain works. With this shift, practitioners are no longer treating neurodivergence as inherently an illness. They are instead viewing them as different methods of learning and processing information, some of which become disabilities in an inaccessible and ableist society.” (The Very Well Mind website).

Neurospicy - Rachel was unable to find out who came up with this term, but has been aware of it for a couple of years. She decided to use this word in her creative wellness sessions to conjure a feeling of playfulness and exploration. 

Neurotypical - “Neurotypical is a term that's used to describe individuals with typical neurological development or functioning. It is not specific to any particular group, including autism spectrum disorder” (Healthline Website).

Body Doubling - “Body doubling includes having a friend or another person nearby when completing a task in order to boost productivity. This concept can be beneficial for those with ADHD, as they may be better able to focus when someone else is around. Body doubling helps to improve motivation, emotional regulation, and creativity in those who participate.” (Choosing Therapy Website).

Masking - ADHD masking may also be called "camouflaging." This is when someone with ADHD tries to cover up their symptoms by copying the behaviours of people who don't have it. ADHD masking may be a way for some people with ADHD to fit in socially, avoid being stigmatised, or feel more accepted.