Send Suicide Packing (2025)

Send Suicide Packing (October - March 22nd) - The outcomes of the Send Suicide Packing project have been developed through a series of conversations and hands-on sessions with men from local groups, one being Where Men Meet, and others from Redditch, Worcestershire. Our aim was to consider ways we can articulate the burden of poor mental health through art. In this three part installation - part costume, part wearable sculpture, part soundscape - we hoped for participants to feel a very literal burden of weight through the cloak, which was painted and distressed by male volunteers. The mask, made of pill packets donated by the men, hides the participant, protecting them from the outside world while also dulling their senses. The soundscape combines recordings of men with the sounds of the outside world to complete a sensory overload. The intention for this project is that it will be toured around areas of high public footfall and act as a point of contact for finding means and support to improve male mental health.

I worked on this project as Lead Artist and Facilitator with AHead of Wellbeing CIC, based in Redditch, as part of the Community Makers programme, funded by Reimagine Redditch and the Arts Council. Co-creation, interaction and men’s mental health were are our main focuses for this project.