Daniel Regan and Antonia Attwood: Be Here, Now

About

Artists Daniel Regan and Antonia Attwood explore the soothing qualities of natural spaces in this immersive exhibition that fuses virtual reality, video, photography and sound. The artists — both working in the field of mental health and well-being — have responded to the theme of HABITAT by examining how different landscapes can offer safety and respite in today’s fast moving world.

During summer of 2016, the artists began their research into what constitutes a safe space by asking for anonymous contributions from strangers. Overwhelmingly, the responses focused on the power of nature: the sounds of the sea and water; being in forests and open fields; the therapeutic act of walking or curling up by a warm fire.

Regan and Attwood’s inquiry into how we feel safe or soothed took them on various journeys — recording sights, sounds and light across England. The resulting exhibition is the culmination of these journeys, physically constructed into individual rooms. Viewers are invited to immerse themselves and switch off from the frenetic pace of modern life.

As part of their commission, Regan and Attwood will deliver a series of workshops during FORMAT17, around the theme of safe and soothing spaces. These workshops are designed for people that may experience their own set of difficulties, including adults with mental health difficulties, the elderly and adolescent children on the autistic spectrum.