Community Curators Beth, Ri and Thelma: Engaging their Communities for City Reflections
Beth Explores History with the Neurodiverse Community
As part of City Reflections, artist Beth Macey-Macleod recently visited Tudor House with members of the neurodiverse community she’s working with. The visit offered a chance to connect with Southampton’s rich local history and explore objects that might inspire new ideas and conversations.
Their visit was filled with curiosity and it’s been a key part of Beth’s co-creation process as she develops her work for City Reflections, centring the lived experiences and creative ideas of her community.
Ri’s Creative Writing Workshop: Stories of Welcome and Reinvention
At the same time, Ri Baroche invited local LGBTQIA+ residents to take part in a free creative writing workshop at October Books on 26 July through a call out video on social media. Participants were guided through free writing exercises inspired by artworks and key themes from Southampton City Art Gallery – including generosity, reinvention, and the idea of being welcomed from elsewhere.
All contributions will help inform the new projection outside Southampton City Art Gallery as one of the 6 locations on the 6-point projection trail for City Reflections: Illuminating Southampton’s Stories
From Saxon Skates to Seahorses: Thelma’s Discoveries
Meanwhile, another of the project’s Community Curators, Thelma Bishop-Young, has spent many hours this week in the archives. With support from SeaCity Museum curator Dr Richard Henry, she’s uncovered some fascinating finds, including:
- Saxon ice skates, currently on display in the Gateway Gallery at SeaCity
- A seahorse-shaped gaming piece, discovered during excavations at Westgate and now on show at Tudor House, with a 3D model available on Sketchfab
- Several seal matrix impressions from Southampton’s archaeology collection – some dating back to the medieval period – also viewable as 3D models online
These historic objects help spark conversations about legacy, place, and how we imprint ourselves on the world – themes that run throughout the City Reflections project.
Share this post