We are pleased to Welcome the Bethlem Art Group for our first gallery Exhibition in 2024.
Bethlem Artist Collective formed in Autumn 2022 to stimulate mutual friendship, support and creative collaboration following the isolation of the pandemic. Our exhibition “Mirror Mirror”, generously hosted by the Paxton Centre, arises from this remit and its thematic focus is to challenge in audiences’ misconceptions about disabled and mentally ill people and open a constructive and reflective space for conversations on the uplifting role of creativity.
We aim to connect with people who are not necessarily part of a hospital setting, so we can contribute to a deeper understanding and acceptance of disability and mental ill-health, as these can affect anyone during their lifetime.
Nicola Field makes drawings and paintings, often using visual text, exploring the effects of trauma and neurodiversity on the body and mind. For Mirror Mirror, she wanted to show what can’t be seen in a mirror, but what we can still find reflected in one another. Instagram @nicola_field_art
Karta Works with clay, paint, drawing, photography and audio. A recent graduate of Central St Martins, she is interested in the stories hidden within us that, when heard, reveal the many strands of commonality among humans: stories of suffering, joy, ill health, love, hope, loss, deceit, gain, fear and bravery. Everyone has a story to share, and experiences that often mirror our own. Instagram: @kartadharma
Sue Morgan is the sole employee of Breathing is Difficult Enuff, Inc., having held the position of low-level metaphysical assistant for over 25 years. She would be marginally more content in a world without mirrors. Instagram @suemorgan209 web: www.suemorgan209.com
Corinne (They/Them) is a disabled self-portrait artist. This year marks their 6th year of spending almost every day confined to bed. For ‘Mirror Mirror’ Corinne created self-portraits Influenced by Frida Kahlo. Frida began painting self-portraits whilst confined to bed using a mirror that was fastened to her canopy bed. @corinnesdiary
Carlos Cortes is a multidisciplinary artist. His studio work includes paintings, drawings and sculptures. His left-hand drawings, and the interaction with found objects, are tools for the exploration of the unconscious, seeds from which characters and stories emerge and thrive. His public art and participatory projects are often site specific and performative, based on a dialogue with landscape, architecture and communities.Instagram @carloscortesart1
Sage is autistic and lives by the sea with another human and a pair of canis familiaris. Drawing has been a lifelong way to map the rich inner world he creates and a method to process the environment surrounding him. He is a committee member of Brighton Autistic Collective, accepts portrait commissions and teaches art part-time. Historically, obsidian mirrors were used by Aztec priests to conjure visions and make prophesies. Black mirrors are known culturally as portals to the supernatural realm. A black mirror enables Sage to search within: mapping his fictional island world of Utopic Locus. You can find more of his artwork on instagram @michelangelo_from_the_turtles
Come and meet the artists, enjoy a drink and find out more about upcoming events and creative workshops.
