Parallel Lives

Parallel Lives brings together the contrasting realities experienced by many neurodivergent people who have complex support needs.

Through paintings, drawings, prints and polaroids, artists reveal lives shaped by instinct, freedom, choice and imagination. Alongside these are drawings that map complex structures of health and social care — structures that can enable people to live the lives they choose, but that can also be opaque, adversarial and difficult to navigate.

The works evoke universal themes of home, people, places, interests and memory, but for many of the artists and those who support them, these exist alongside another reality: a world of assessments, systems, panels, thresholds, resource allocation and tribunals.

Through this juxtaposition, Parallel Lives reveals the often-hidden structures that impact on people’s lives, and the ways they can both enable and constrain freedom and choice.

Through the run of the exhibition, artists, families, carers and others will consider these worlds through talks, workshops and conversation.

Programme

Wednesday 7 October, 10.00 – 12.30 
Support Collective Drop In session
Georgie and Sarah from the Support Collective will be at 12 Claremont for an informal drop-in session. The Support Collective offers creative workshops for carers, signposting and advocacy for individuals and families, and a tailored training programme. If you would like to find out more about what we do please do come along.

Thursday 8  – Saturday 17 October
Access the Archive
Exclusive access to our new digital online archive, soon to be available to the public. The archive is a unique record of the creative contribution of the individual artists who make art at Project Art Works, and of our collective practice. The digital archive consists of 20,000+ photographs of the artworks and of the creative practice of the people who made the artworks. The collection goes back to 2004 and continues to be added to.

Test run the platform before it goes live and feedback to us as we build this important resource. No booking necessary.

Wednesday 11 November
Carer’s Creative Workshop
Carer’s workshops are relaxed, gentle, with no expectation. Open to all parents, carers and support workers who usually care for an individual with complex support needs, we want to offer you the chance to engage in a creative day. Booking essential please email georgie@projectartworks.org.

Artists in the exhibition include:

El Bass, Jack Finnerty, Siddarth Gadiyar, Albert Geere, Neville Jermyn, Eden Kötting, Mark Lockton, Natalie, Louise Newham, Sean Ormonde, Sharif (left the studio in 2021) and India O’Sullivan.

In this exhibition we are delighted to present work by guest Artist – Veronica Watson of Blue Room supported studios in Liverpool.

Opening hours:
11.00 – 16.00, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
No appointment necessary.

Location:
12 Claremont
Hastings
TN34 1HA

Artwork will be available for purchase on site and via Untitled Gallery.

About In Residence

Project Art Works In Residence at 12 Claremont brings together exhibitions, collaborations and events that celebrate the vibrancy and richness of diverse representation in contemporary art practice. Visitors can encounter works from the Project Art Works archive, alongside opportunities to engage with artists through events and workshops.

Images: Polaroids, PROJECT INDIA 2000-2003, photo by Project Art Works