Derek the Vanishing Bin / 2019 - 2021

Elizabeth was invited to document through drawing a project that set out to explore the benefits of laughter for those with dementia and their caregivers. Funded by The Wellcome Trust, commissioned by the Dukes Theatre and supported by 2 researchers in neuroscience: a laughter specialist and a dementia specialist who were to monitor and evaluate participant responses to the workshops.

The sessions were run by dancers, writers, theatre makers and musicians. Practitioners guided participants through shared experience and learning through artistic play, carers and participants benefited equally from the activities and the artists learned from the participants as well as the other way round. Laughter was come upon through play as opposed to comedy, found not forced, the idea was to find a natural way to encourage it. Sessions were flexible and experimental.

Elizabeths work would provide an exhibition of artwork about the project and also a helpful resource for the ethnographer who was writing the evaluation. She drew live in several sessions and from many sketches and photographs later in the studio.

More drawings here