An art exhibition opening this week is giving former rough sleepers across the East Midlands the chance to tell their stories in their own words.
And this won’t be your standard wander-around-a-gallery kind of show.
From trauma to hope to independence combines paintings, installations, poetry, spoken word, recorded testimonies and even a soundscape recreating some of the noises heard by people while sleeping rough on our streets.
The exhibition marks the 25th anniversary of Framework, the East Midlands charity working to tackle homelessness, and opens at Southwell Minster on October 10, which is World Homeless Day.
Artists Beatrice Giaquinto, Inge Tonge and David ‘Stick Man’ Higgins held workshops with Framework service users and frontline staff in Nottingham, Lincoln and Mansfield, listening to personal accounts of trauma, homelessness, recovery and rebuilding lives.
Those conversations have now been transformed into art.
Giaquinto has created three pieces for the exhibition, including one inspired by 25 years of Framework annual reports. Another, Caught and Held, takes its inspiration from the idea of Framework as a safety net, catching people before they “fall through the cracks”.
She said the experience had reinforced her belief in the “humanistic power of creativity” and the ability of art to become a tool for healing and social change.
But some of the exhibition’s most powerful contributions come directly from people who have experienced homelessness themselves.
Lawrence, who received support from Nottingham Recovery Network, has recorded his testimony after struggling with mental illness and substance use.
He said: “I wanted to be part of this exhibition because if my vulnerability in telling my story can help just one person in any way then it is worth doing.
“This exhibition to me is a beautiful display of vulnerability and truth. It is also a lovely reminder to myself of how far I’ve come on my own journey.”
Then there’s Lisa, a former rough sleeper from Nottingham who spent eight-and-a-half months sleeping on the city’s streets.
She was eventually housed and supported by Framework and now volunteers for the charity herself. Her testimony and poetry both feature in the anniversary collection.
Lisa described moving into Framework accommodation as a “turning point”, adding: “Since then I’ve come a long way, with a long way still to go.”
Elsewhere, artist David ‘Stick Man’ Higgins has created the performance poem Breathing Space, exploring compassion, friendship and the importance of having somewhere safe to begin rebuilding your life.
Higgins said the work brings together people’s real experiences of “friendship, support, care and trust”, while Inge Tonge’s Transformation was inspired by the conversations and artworks that developed during the workshops.
At the official opening, Framework chief executive Claire McGonigle will speak alongside people with lived experience of homelessness. Former rough sleeper James will read his poetry, while Lisa will talk about what Framework’s support has meant to her.
And if you can’t make the first stop, the exhibition is going on tour.
Where can you see it?
Southwell Minster
October 10-20
Lincoln Cathedral
October 27-November 5
St Mary’s Church, Nottingham
November 17-22
Beat The Streets festival
January 31
A collection of postcards featuring artwork created by Framework service users will also be available to buy at the exhibition and online.
More information is available at www.frameworkha.org/25th-anniversary-exhibition.
