The title TRAUMLANDS comes from the translation of dreamlands in German, in which the word TRAUM has the meaning of DREAM and assonance with TRAUMA. The work incorporates partnerships with Young Bristol, Eastside Community Trust, PRSC, Dareshack and Wheal Martyn to facilitate the workshops and projection of the final creation.

TRAUMLANDS is a bridge from the characters’ trauma depicted in historical paintings to a cooperatively crafted dreamland in which they’re liberated as well as a fertile ground for the research on the origin of pain and sufference.

Research

The process of sourcing and compiling the images involves: indepth discussions with 6 experts – Francesco d’Achille, Jack Alexandroff, Alexandra Gushurst-Moore, Victoria Jones, Athena Papadopoulos, Gen Doy about origins of the paintings and the forgotten symbolism of 6 selected creatures.

This fertile Research has became a solid base for the workshops with young people – an oppoortunity to re-imagine landscapes where dragons, deers, boars, bears, whales and chimeras were all roaming in dreamlike paper worlds.

Workshops

During the workshops the young people have freedom to explore mixed media collage through befriending the creatures and creating  dreamworlds to be safely inhabited by them. A unique opportunity to dive into their imagination in a safe space.

Collage Sessions

Selection of created collages

Evaluation process & Feedback

Animated Collages

As “the wound is the place where the Light enters you”* papercut is the place where the Life enters in the creation.

I never imagined that I’d end up in animation, but biology and art collided, and here we are! Paper creatures alive and breathing have now a life on their own.
 

Character Creation

Projections

The Origins of Pain & Sufference