Reframe Dementia multimedia art exhibition challenges misconceptions head on

From 15-18 March, a unique art exhibition exploring one of our most feared health conditions will open at gallery@oxo, hosted by Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity.

Open daily from 11am – 6pm until 18 March, Reframe Dementia will feature multimedia exhibits including striking photographic portraits, paintings, tapestries, music, virtual reality and stunning scientific images. The project brings together pieces created both by people living with dementia and those who have committed their life’s work to finding a cure for the diseases that cause dementia.

 

There are over 850,000 people living with dementia across the UK, and one in three of us has a close friend or family member living with the condition. Years of stigma and misunderstanding have led to widespread misconceptions about what it means to have dementia, and what we can all do to help improve the lives of those affected.

Alzheimer’s Research UK sets out to challenge these misconceptions, reframing how people view the condition and starting conversations through the medium of art, sharing a message of hope that research has the power to defeat dementia.

The free exhibition will feature portrait series from high-profile photographers Alex Wallace and Helen Williams, telling the personal stories of people affected by dementia, touching on themes of identity, independence and living well with the condition.

Visitors will also be able to explore the inspiration behind acclaimed singer and composer Hannah Peel’s album, ‘Awake But Always Dreaming’, which she wrote in response to her grandmother’s dementia.

Thought-provoking paintings and tapestries created by people living with dementia will be on display, allowing visitors to explore how dementia can affect creativity in different ways and how art can support people living with the condition.

The exhibition will feature a stunning collection of scientific imagery drawn from a nationwide competition among dementia researchers. The shortlisted entries capture the mysterious inner workings of the brain and showcase cutting-edge research that is driving progress towards new ways to help people living with dementia. The ultimate winner of the competition will be chosen by visitors who can select their favourite image as they make their way around the gallery.

Visitors will have the opportunity to experience what it might feel like to have dementia, through the immersive virtual reality experience ‘A Walk Through Dementia’. All this along with powerful campaigns about dementia will allow guests to explore how Alzheimer’s Research UK is working to change perceptions and shift the conversation around the condition.

Tim Parry, Director of Communications at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

“Misconceptions about dementia are rife, feeding a climate of fear around the condition that stands in the way of progress. To break through the stigma, we need to share the powerful personal stories of those affected by the condition and champion our message of hope – research holds the key to defeating dementia. This poignant and wide-ranging art exhibition is an important opportunity to do this, acting as a moment of truth in the conversation around dementia.”

The exhibition is open daily, admission free, to the general public 11am – 6pm Thursday 15 March to Sunday 18 March, at gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH.