Ruth Douthwright

Artistic Questions:

How can multiple sense-abilities come together?

How do we craft trainings that are always for more than one?

How can we create infrastructures for multiple sense-abilities?

What kind of sensing together emerges in the process?

Concepts that emerged in the process:

resting together

always more than one

rehearsing as infrastructuring space

making room (s)

consent and co-sensing

On not knowing together:

One thing that we notice from the training, is that in finding other ways of doing attentional practices we open up other ways and modes of not knowing together. This kind of co-laboring is a practice in not-knowing. This kind of not-knowing is divergent to neurotypical modes of knowing. This is different from I don’t know. Not knowing as a different form … not knowing does not subtract it has creative returns.

Could performance training offer a site that trains interdependence rather than independent bodyminds. Can we train ourselves to think beyond the singular? This will require facing down the notion of the singular genius, whether that is economic genius or artistic genius.

While we train interdependence can we also train ourselves to notice when the force of independence /force of whiteness /emerges… both and?

Being Entangled is not enough…How can our art making scores be working to expose these practices, beliefs, underlying social structures?

This collaboration between The Sweet Labour Art Collective, Ruth Douthwright, Kevin O’Connor and members of the disability and neurodiverse communities living in community homes in London Ontario and Parkwood Mental Health Hospital.

This research took place in both community studio settings and at Parkwood Mental Health Hospital through the following funding:
1. Healing Through the Arts (community studio setting), London Arts Council.
Healing through the Arts is funded through the Province of Ontario’s Strategic Program Investment (SPI) Fund as a result of the settlement of the Huronia, Rideau, and Southwestern Regional class actions. Approximately $7.4 million was made available through the SPI Fund for two purposes: (1) to enhance the ability of individuals with developmental disabilities to guide & influence (from systemic & personal points of view) the decisions affecting them and (2) to benefit people with developmental disabilities (including class members) and their families.

2.Parkwood Institute’s Recovery Through Creative Arts Program, which connects mental health inpatients with community artists from the London Artist in Residence (LAIR) program – part of London Arts Council.
Funded by St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation, the program provides therapeutic opportunities for healing and recovery through the arts. Inpatients are encouraged to attend activities on a drop-in basis including music sessions, drama, visual arts and creative reading/writing classes.

Healing Through the Arts

Collaboration between L’arche, Participation House and London Arts Council

view video HERE

Recovery Through the Arts - Parkwood Mental Health, London, ON

Connecting through Art in Dementia Care - McCormick Dementia Services, London, ON

The Art of Remembering - view video HERE