A Care Compendium: Chapter Two

"Over the last 2 months or so whilst we've been on lockdown, i’ve found myself more acutely aware of the sounds around me in our big shared house. Of all of these domestic sounds, from tickling clocks to tapping keyboards the one sound which has stood out the most is that of our washing machine, which seems to be constantly on... It emits a slow churning whine as it slumps through its cycle and while I sit there drinking my morning coffee, I find myself latching onto its unlikely musicality and sort of tuning myself to it..."

Reasons, 2020, 2 digital posters, design by Rose Nordin. This project also received support from New Art West Midlands.

An online live performance art work that took time to acknowledge and reflect upon the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Since November 2019, millions of people all around the world have been affected by Covid-19 and hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost. Governments have taken unprecedented steps to reduce the spread of the virus. including; strict social distancing measures and enforced lockdowns.

The devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has left people around the work with collective experiences of loss, trauma and grief.

Reflection was a 9 hour durational work that took place over social media. It took time to consider the many lives that have been lost and the many lives that have been affected by Covid-19. It took time for introspection and time to consider how one might be able to support other in this difficult period in human history.

During lockdown, I have made a conscious effort of self-care. This has entailed re-connecting with nature and paying attention to the sounds and rhythms. During this time I have also been learning an instrument that I have wanted to learn for many years. The music is an improvised piece created when observing the movement of the sky. I have combined these moments of self-care and hope that it may bring a moment of self-care to others. (Headphones recommended)

To reflect on how we can take care of ourselves and others whilst confined to our homes, I have composed a to-do list. In developing this piece, I have consulted with friends, family and neighbours, to question how we can relax and make the most out of the space that we have around us. The result is a collection of ideas that celebrate ways of being and feeling at home.

A short declaration of self-care contains 17 practical recommendations of self-care responding to the question of “How to care for myself when exposing myself to media news?”. It claims that current public media news is archaic and pretends to deliver information in a non-innovative form. We bring into question the general (mis) connection that bad news entertainment is the only way to be well informed about what is going on in the world around us. We all dare to know about the others. We wish information to bring us closer together, not to re-traumatize us emotionally and physically. We wish to bridge ignorance into compassion as well as be exposed to co-intelligent solutions to problems.