Wandering Minds: participatory art activity / speed dating

Tan, Kai Syng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4491-7166 (2018) Wandering Minds: participatory art activity / speed dating. South London Gallery, South London Gallery. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

OVERVIEW: This was an engaging evening of speed dating across disciplines, backgrounds, age and our rich and varied understandings of our different kinds of minds and brains. Kai curated a 'speed dating' style discussions with experts in the arts and the human mind, exploring mind wandering, neurodiversity, the creative process and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We were joined by the community's young people aged 14-21 who call themselves 'Art Assassins'. Our guests were: Professor of Psychiatry and adult ADHD expert Philip Asherson (Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre SGDP); arts: Dr Cecilia Wee (Artsadmin); live art: Dr Daniel Oliver (Queen Mary University of London),  ADHD: Consultant Dr Ulrich Müller and UKAAN Committee Member Jane Sedgwick, and visual art: Dr Kai Syng Tan. The evening was part of the award-winning art-psychiatry commission #MagicCarpet (2017-2019). This took place at the South London Gallery (founded in 1891) on 5 June 2018, as part of the Arts in Mind Festival of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). The evening began with the launch of a short film, Of Wanderings and Meanderings (Official Selection, Arts and Humanities Research Council AHRC Film Award 2019), directed by Kai. REVIEWS: 100% of the feedback was positive. They included: 'So good to have had intergenerational conversations. Informative + surprising. It was a mind opening experience'. 'Beautiful experience'. 'Very fun & engaging! Talking with strangers is nice:)'. 'Helped me talk to others, I am normally an introvert who watches'. Says Kai's mentor and collaborator Professor Philip Asherson: 'It was great talking to the young people. They really treasured their art. I met a young man doing photography GCSE - street pics of Peckham. He seemed really ambitious and working hard. It was great fun to talk to him’. MEDIA: The event was covered in South London Press, and reviewed in Arts in Mind in The Psychologist (The British Psychological Society), 31, pp.68–69, by participant Sushank Chibber, in an article by Dr Sally Marlow, Public Engagement Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London. Kai was also interviewed on Resonance FM. ARTS IN MIND: Arts in Mind was a week-long festival (June 4-10, 2018) celebrating innovative collaborations between researchers at the IoPPN, and the creative and cultural sector. It showcased work that explores new ways to improve wellbeing and facilitate a better understanding of mental health, the brain and the mind. The creative producer was Ruth Garde, who previously worked at the Wellcome Trust for 16 years. #MAGICCARPET in ARTS IN MIND: Tan's 1.5 year Arts Council England funded Unlimited commission, #MagicCarpet, took part in the Arts in Mind Festival in 4 ways:  1) 3-week long exhibition of the tapestry art (2.9mX1.45m) on bespoke 'invisible loom' designed by the women-run Studio LW Furniture, at the IoPPN.  2) 'Speed-dating'  South London Gallery. Members of the public 'speed-dated' experts in the arts and mind: Professor of Psychiatry and adult ADHD expert Philip Asherson (Social, Genetic and developmental Psychiatry Centre SGDP); arts: Dr Cecilia Wee (Artsadmin); live art: Dr Daniel Oliver (Queen Mary University of London),  ADHD: Consultant Dr Ulrich Müller and UKAAN Committee Member Jane Sedgwick, and visual art: Dr Kai Syng Tan (SGDP). We were joined by young people aged 14-21, as the evening is part of the SLG’s youth forum, the Art Assassins who were working on their year-long project The Peckham Experiment: A Centre for Self-organisation.  3) A new short film made by #MagicCarpet’s Michael Larsson (Sweden), Philip Tan (Singapore) and Kai was also launched that evening.  4) Badge-making workshop for 8 year-old school children from the local Lyndhurst Primary School.