InTribute
GoingDeeper,InTribute byDeeLister
Part3 ofthethree-partseriesaboutDeeLister’straumainformedcreativeresearch.Thiszinewasprofessionally printedbySelseyPress.
Copyright/permissions:
Thezineseriesandallimagesandwordsfeaturedare ownedDeeLister©
Allworkrelatingtothecreativeresearch,includingthezines, weremadewiththepermissionandsupportofOutsideIn andthe BritishArtNetwork.
TheMuseumoftheMindkindlyprovidedaccessand permissionstouseBethlemHospital’sarchivedmaterials.
TriggerWarning:
Thiszinecontainspotentiallytriggeringimagesand references.Pleasetakegentlecareofyourselfbefore, during,andafterreadingthiszine.
Acknowledgements:
Thankyoutoeveryonewhosupportedme.Specialthanksto SarahKetalaars,DavidLuck,KirkSummerwill,Naomiand Emma,Morag,Dolly,Teddy,andNorri,andmyOutsideIn mentorsJoDollandCharlotteGraham-Spouge.Finally thankyoutoyoureaderforbeinganaudienceformywork.
IntroductiontoPart3
Thisfinalzineofthethree-partseriessharesastandalone collectionofpoetry-artcreatedwhiledoingtraumainformedcreativeresearch.Itisarawseriesofsocially engagedart.
ThiszinebringsintheissueofprocessasI’veadded contextoverthepagesoyoucanunderstoodhowand whyImadethesepieces.
Myplandidn’tincluderespondingtocaserecordsbut onceI’dseenthemonlineviatheMuseumoftheMind’s website,Iwascalledtocreateandprocessmyrageand despair.
Thisworkallowsmetoextendaninvitetoyoutoconsider thenewdialogues*thatshareswordsandimagesfrom Bethlem(infamouslyknownasBedlaminthepast)in VictorianBritain.
ThanktoyoutotheMuseumoftheMindforgranting permissiontousematerialsfromtheBethlemRoyal Hospitalarchivesforthiswork.AlsotoDavidLuckfor attentiveandthoughtfulsupportwiththisresearch.
*I’mborrowingthistermfromthe NewDialogues researchgroupwhoawardedmearesearchbursary.See https://britishartnetwork.org.uk/research/new-dialoguesart-created-historically-in-mental-health-settings/
DidAnyoneListenToHer?
TheseriesthatfollowsI’vetitled DidAnyoneListenToHer?
Thesearepoetry-artassemblagesofre-orderedwordswith photographsfromsevenwomenpatients’caserecords. Thewomen’snamesare:
FrancisEveBenjamin,FrancesSophiaBurroughs, HannahBensusan,AdaJaneWarren,HildaSmart,Mary EmilyWickham,andSarahJaneMay.
TheywerepatientsattheBethlemRoyalHospitalbetween 1892-1888.Onesetofcaserecordsabouteachpersoncan beviewedfreelyontheinternetviatheMuseumofthe Mind’swebsitehere:https://museumofthemind.org.uk/ learning/explore-bethlem/patients
Thisseriesisintendedtojuxtaposere-imaginedaccounts ofhowthewomencouldhavespokeninanswertothe wordswrittenaboutthemandtheirbehaviourintheircase records.
Therearetwoversionsofthreeofthetributes.Itook breaksbetweentheseandtheothers.OnreturnIwantedto dothemagain.Idon’tunderstandfullywhy,butitdoesn’t matter. Thesewomenalldeservedmorespaceintheworldwhen theywerealiveduringthesedifficulttimesoftheirlives.I’ve sharedallthetributesintheorderImadethem.
Epilogue:IsAnyoneListening Now?
Ihopeyoufoundthepoetry-artmovingandthatyoutookit inatyourownpace.It’sadifficultread,isn’tit?
Thedehumanisingandemotionallydetachedjudgements madebymalealienists–themale-dominatedindustryof earlypsychiatry–andaccountsofeachperson’sdistress evenwhenthewordsarejumbledup,areveryupsetting.
Ifounditchallengingtocreatethisworkbutfoundawayto makesenseof,andartfullyrespondto,whatIsawandhow itmademefeel.
Tofeelsafedoingthisemotiveandtriggeringmentalhealth artgivenmyexperiencesofabuse,Ineededtoexclusively centremyeffortsonthewomen’srecords.
IwroteaboutthisandthewayIcraftedandnegotiatedmy boundariesasaresearcheractiveinthecreativeresearch processinzinepart1, StayingOpen,StayingSafe.
Ifocusedonthefemalepatientsbecausemyfeminist consciousnesswasstirredbythecaserecords.Thereare amplecluesinthelanguageofthealienistsastothe historicalandculturalcontextofmentalhealthcare.
Alsotohowthewomen’sbehaviourwasseenina genderedway,sometimesobviouslywith“supposed cause(s)ofinsanity”being“afterchildbirth”(Ada)and “over-study”(Mary).
Epilogue:IsAnyoneListening Now?(continued)
Thegoalinthelate19th centuryandyearsleadingupto it,wascontainmentofthe“insane”fromcivilisedsociety.
Didlockingthesewomenup,sometimesinpaddedcells, protecttheworld,aswashoped?
Didthe “staterefusebodilyhealth” ofthesewomen,as theirsufferinginthecaserecordsandthepoetry-art piecessuggests?
Whataboutthestrongclothesdesignedtorestrainand preventpatientsfromhurtingthemselvesorothers,did thisdoanythingbeyondstoppingpeoplemovingfreely*?
Ican’tknowthisorwhetheranyofthepatientswould consenttohavingtheirphotographsandcaserecords publishedonline.Wouldthewomenconsenttohaving theirsensitive‘data’usedinmysociallyengagedcreative research?
Idon’thaveanswerstothesequestionsandfeelthere’s workyettobedone.
DeeLister(August2024)
*Foraninterestingcounterpointaboutstrongclothessee thislinkaboutJaneFradgely’sphotographyexhibition: https://museumofthemind.org.uk/blog/held-guys-hospitalexhibition-by-jane-fradgley
JourneysToBethlem is part3 ofthethree-part seriesaboutDeeLister’strauma-informedcreative research. Eachzineoffersmentalhealthart–artworkmade byDeewho’satraumasurvivorwholiveswith mentalhealthissues–andwordstoexplainDee’s creativeresearchprocess.
Thiszinesharesrawandemotivepoetry-artand discussestheethicsofusingsensitivematerial fromtheBethlemHospital/MuseumoftheMind archives.
Adigitalversionofthefullzinecanbereadhere: https://linktr.ee/deelisterphotos.
Printcopiesofparts1,2,and3areavailableon requestfromdeelisterphotos@gmail.com.
