B en Uri is proud to present Using Art Differently: Art and Wellbeing at Ben Uri , which explores the many ways in which a rt supports and can improve and enrich mental and physical health. At a time when health and wellbeing is high on the global agenda, Ben Uri demonstrates the positive role that it can play in health and wellbeing as a cultural organisation and how the muse um collection's universal themes of identity and migration can be a unique resource in achieving this.
93 - year - old Monty Gaynor, is one of the 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. An ex - civil engineer, who was diagnosed over 20 years ago, drawi ng is an integral part of his life. As Monty says “..you don’t lose ideas...even now I can sit down and do a design”. Monty creates beautiful, intricate and complex designs and we are proud to display these as part of this exhibition. He is living proof of t he value of creativity and an inspiration to Ben Uri .
This exhibition explores some of the current projects that form part of Ben Uri’s wellbeing programme from working with older people and those living with dementia to collaborating with refugees and a sylum seekers. It also highlights partnerships with leading universities and researchers which have produced significant and important work.
ProVACAT (Practicing or Viewing Art Cognitive Ability Trial) is a research project working with older people in a number of residential care homes, taking replicas from the gallery’s collection to stimulate conversation, opinion and creative practice. This enjoyment of art is then tested against practical art making which evokes greater wellbeing and longer term cognitive ability.
Through additional projects such as Picturing Memories the gallery has fostered partnerships with other cultural organisations including New Art Studio, an Art Therapy group for asylum see kers and refugees based in North London, whose works will also be displayed in the exhibition. The theme of Braham Bendaoud, Story of Greece, Courtesy of New Art Studio BEN URI GALLERY AND MUSEUM migration is an important and integral part of Ben Uri’s history, having originally been a solace of creativity for Jewish migrants when it began as a cultural organisation in 1915. This is as significant now as it was then.
Ben Uri Gallery plays a decisive role in the education and practice of art therapy partnering Roehampton and Hertfordshire universities to enable students to develop their profe ssional practice. Partnerships have led to presentations of our work at a number of conferences, including the Fifth Health and Humanities International Conference in Seville (2016) and the First International Arts and Dementia Research Conference, in Lond on (2016) as well as contributions to forthcoming publications in the relevant fields.
Migration and the needs of communities were early key components of the new museum strategy in 2001 and have gained even greater priority within our commitment to socia l integration. Ben Uri is proud to continue this journey be being instrumental in the different ways in which art can be used to improve wellbeing for all.

PRIVATE VIEW :
Tuesday 26 September 6.30 pm

mpefm UNITED KINGDOM art press release