held: Jane Fradgley’s photographic exhibition returns to London
Selected images from Jane Fradgley's held return to London in an exhibition opening today at the Institute of Psychiatry. The opening runs from 5 - 7pm this evening (Wednesday 10 July), and all Bethlem Blog readers are welcome!
The exhibition showcases some of the artist's photographic series of historical restraining garments and strong clothing from the Bethlem Archives and Museum. These haunting photographs offer a unique perspective; a poetic documentation for contemplation with the added intention of contributing to a dialogue and debate around protection, restraint and chemical intervention in mental health care today. The research, development and production of held was funded by Guy's & St Thomas' Charity.
The exhibition continues from 10 July to 27 September, and is open Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 4.30pm. Accompanying the exhibition, there will be a public symposium on the evening of 31 July, inviting clinicians, support workers, service users, historians and artists to respond to the topics raised in the exhibition. The event is now fully booked, but we will be reporting the full details on this blog afterwards, and hope that it is only the start of debate on this important topic.
What's more, with funding from Maudsley Charity and support from Plymouth Arts Centre, the artist will be launching a book about the project later this year. Watch this space for details...
Exhibition runs: 10 July - 27 September
Times: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: MRC SGDP Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Memory Lane, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF (link to map).
Station: Denmark Hill