The Caring Show goes to Toulouse
I am so pleased to announce that rhw comics-based research installation, Fostering A Sense of Belonging, is currently showing in Toulouse, in conjunction with SF2A. This installation, which is a piece of comics-based research on carework in higher education, was created in collaboration with Professor Marie-Pierre Moreau of Anglia Ruskin University.
Along with its accompanying lectures and workshops, this installation has been shown at more than fifteen universities and galleries worldwide, including multiple shows in France and the UK, Hong Kong, Ireland, Austria, and more. It is on permanent legacy exhibit at three universities, including the University of Middlesex.
When Professor Moreau and I put this piece together during the pandemic, we knew that the subject matter was important, and that comics-based research could widen its impact, but we honestly had no idea how far the project would go, geographically and otherwise. As Professor Moreau writes,
“Using the arts as a mode of dissemination does more than enhance accessibility and engage diverse publics with research topics and stories; the arts in general, and comics specifically, enable readers to simultaneously consider the parts and the whole. The contiguous images and words that characterize comic art allow readers to be challenged by individual carers’ stories while also considering the larger sociocultural context. In using this medium, we are hoping to stimulate interests and reach out to a broad range of policy- makers, practitioners and individuals which may not, in other circumstances, have engaged with this issue. We hope to raise awareness of carers and of the diversity and intersectionalities of their experiences, and to encourage the development of practices and policies which foster carers’ sense of belonging.”
Funded with a generous grant from AdvanceHE, the project has been recognized as an example of research excellence by Anglia Ruskin University. I encourage you to read about the full project here at Dr. Moreau’s website, where you can also download associated publications and our gorgeous exhibit booklet. Please note that the project credit appears under my previous surname—rest assured it is still me!
