Grief and Joy
The currently existing exhibition, a combination of collages and self-composed text editions, originated from working 6 years at the University Clinic, Ulm with children suffering from tumor and leukemia. The exhibition has been presented 2002 in the “Stadthaus Ulm”, Germany in the course of the anniversary celebrations for the St. Agatha Hospice, Ulm. Another exhibition took place in 2010 within the new erected premises of the “Ulmer Hospice Foundation” in the course of children hospice work – Germany. Grief and Joy“ should have to be seen as a growing, living and traveling exhibition.
Working with the children
Those sick children shall be offered the possibility to participate in a creative and artistic way in this exhibition. The content of the work is the life of the children prior and during their illness, reflecting their wishes, fears and desires for the future. Parents, siblings, friends, animals, school, memories, visions – what makes me stronger and more powerful. Every creation, finalized throughout this process, consists of a collage and a personal, self-composed text edition. The creation of the collages can take considerable time due to the health condition of the children. The collage evolves to a pictorial expression of the child’s emotions during the course of the disease.
The trust building work with the parents is a necessary and inevitable presumption. The work with the children is subject to their approval.
Further important aspects are the physical and emotional condition of the children as well as the given possibilities within the treatment plan. Due to the direct collaboration with the physicians in charge, as well as the nursing staff on the hospital ward, a perfect environment can be created, allowing the children to playfully unfolding their artistic creativity and dealing with their illness.
The new created collages and text editions, as well as the previous works of the traveling exhibition can be presented as a vernissage in adequate premises of the clinic, children hospice or galleries.
The work with the children and the traveling exhibition will be financed through charity events and the sponsorship of non-profit organizations.