June 23, 2016
The creativity of people with Parkinson’s is being celebrated at a free public exhibition to be held at the prestigious gallery@oxo on London’s South Bank from July 7 to 10.
The Mervyn Peake Awards, now in their fifteenth year, are hosted by the charity Parkinson’s UK and aim to showcase the creativity of people with Parkinson’s The annual awards are named in memory of the much admired artist and author of the Gormenghast trilogy series, who lived with the condition himself. The annual competition is exclusively open to people with Parkinson’s.
For the first time in the awards’ history, Parkinson’s UK is offering the chance to see a range of entries including the award-winning pieces in a free public exhibition. The exhibition will display creative work in the categories of art, photography, poetry, books and ‘Inspire’ themed multimedia.
Visitors will be able to see more than 250 creative pieces by 195 artists, and there will be daily guided tours during exhibition and free workshops on photography, writing and working in multimedia for members of the public led by experts in their fields.
Renowned Norwegian photographer Anders M. Leines will also be exhibiting at the awards. His series This Is Parkinson’s offers an emotional and moving insight into the lives of younger people living with early-onset Parkinson’s.
This year’s entries were judged by are renowned wildlife photographer David Plummer (photography), Vicar of Dibley scriptwriter Paul Mayhew-Archer (multimedia), actor and Parkinson’s UK President Jane Asher (poetry), North London based artist Louise Kaye (art), and Games of Thrones actor Enzo Cilenti (books).
Jane Asher, President of Parkinson’s UK said: “I was delighted to be asked to judge the poetry category. The standard was amazingly high and confirmed that, of course, having Parkinson’s is no barrier to being able to write with feeling and emotion.”
Tania Diggory, Marketing Project Manager for the awards, comments, “For many people, particularly those with Parkinson’s, having a creative outlet can be emotionally fulfilling. We heard many stories from entrants this year about how getting back in touch with a talent that had perhaps lain dormant due to the demands of a busy life, or discovering a skill they never knew they had, has really enhanced their mental and emotional well-being.”
“People with Parkinson’s have also told us that focussing on an artistic pursuit can make living with the symptoms of Parkinson’s much easier to cope with. I hope this exhibition can help to shift public attitudes about Parkinson’s as well as showcase what can be achieved through creativity and inspiration.”
The Mervyn Peake Awards will run from Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 July 2016, at gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London, SE1 9PH, with a private viewing to be held on the evening of Wednesday 6 July.
It will be open daily from 11am – 6pm, with free admission.
For more information on workshops available and to view the exhibition programme visit www.parkinsons.org.uk/mervynpeake
http://www.charitytoday.co.uk/creative-talents-people-parkinsons-display/
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