Once a (Wo)man Twice a Child
The works of Annabel Munn
Annabel Munn: Counting Gates
Sensory art is a great learning tool for children in their early development years. However, sensory art can also be used as a memory mechanism for adults.
Annabel Munn's latest collection does just that by exploring the world of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a specific type of dementia and is a brain disorder which steadily reduces a person's memory, thinking and reasoning skills. It is responsible for 60-70% of dementia in adults, most commonly over 65 years of age. However, early-onset Alzheimer's can affect people in their 30s and 40s.
Annabel Munn: Disconnect
It is estimated that 982,000 people are living with Alzheimer's in the UK, with this figure projected to rise to 1.4 million in 2040. Worldwide, over 55 million people have dementia, with an estimated 10 million new cases each year. Sensory art could play a significant role in helping people reconnect.
Annabel's works are based around a small globe or orb, representing her recent experience navigating this condition with her mother. The characteristics of this disease severely reduce the individual's world.
She says of each piece that is created:
Small enough to satisfyingly hold in the hand, these globes also acknowledge the weight of holding her life in my hands whilst sharing this journey with her.
Annabel Munn: I Want to Make You Happy
She discovered that each day is different but also the same. So, the little globes will start the same but have a different surface treatment to acknowledge that day or week's experience. This might include spikes, sgraffito decoration, additions, surface drawings, etc. and will represent our year/calendar in a jumbled, non-linear way. Annabel embraces the complexities of the Alzheimer's experience and presents it to us to provoke reflection.
Producing these exquisite sculptures reminds us of the Biblical proverb that William Shakespeare and Bob Marley cited.
Once a (Wo)man, twice a child
Annabel Munn: Quiet Debate
It reminds us that as we age, we need support in life as we did as a child. As a child, these sculptures reintroduce us to the notion of play. Not only do the forms have a tactile quality, but most of them also incorporate sound. As you rotate the pieces, materials encased in the globes produce a relaxing sound.
Annabel's work naturally moves between art and craft, with drawing and painting being her starting point. Having painted for several years, she has decided to return to ceramics. Her earlier work, 'Modern Relics,' looks at archaeology and memories - the archaeology of the mind. With this recent collection, she continues to follow her fascination with psychology.
Annabel Munn: Sundown