Just…As an Artist

About

The exhibition will include a diverse mix of art work and demonstrate the positive impact that the Portugal Prints methodology has on its members’ lives.

Just... As an Artist anchors itself in the generative and communal and will create a space for exchange, acknowledging that accessing an engaged audience is a privilege not available to all artists. By showing a variety of practices and approaches to art making: from collaborative wall drawing to individual works, the exhibition aims to encourage the idea that being an artist is a testament to the variety of human experiences and ways to communicate what it feels like to be alive. Whilst acknowledging that being seen as just as an artist is a freedom not granted to all people equally.

Established in 1979 by occupational therapist Gaynor Reynolds, Portugal Prints holds at its core an innovative hybrid model of offering both ongoing emotional support and meaningful creative work. At the centre of the therapeutic practice at Portugal Prints is the belief that nurturing creativity and meaningful relationships can help people living with mental health difficulties.

In 2021, with the support of the Zabludowicz Collection, Portugal Prints collaborated with Sikelela Owen, an RA Schools alum, as their first professional artist in residence. With Owen’s engagement the exhibition will showcase the breadth and diversity of the lived experiences of artists and their approaches to making images that represent their lives.