Exhibition: ‘Wheelin N Dealin’ at The Printhouse Gallery, 23rd April to 23rd June 2015

Supported by Arts Council England, Islington Council and Cripplegate Foundation

An exhibition of work by The Mildmay Collective, a group of 30 care home residents, families and staff co-led by artists Amy Pennington and Clea House who have been in residence since June 2014. Many members of the collective are adults suffering from degenerative illnesses. The work reflects the struggles of living with these conditions, their perception of societies view on them and the political and social nuances of living in a care home.

Working from a training room turned art studio The Collective have been involved with art projects as groups,but also individually. This mixed media show includes: a series of political text-based prints, a knit bombed wheelchair, and the remnants of a protest soap opera. A central piece of the exhibition is a vending machine that stocks purchasable artworks that reference the collective’s work from the past year.

The artistic process enabled members of The Collective to express themselves as individuals and develop their own arts practice.The residency has sought to challenge the role of what art can be in care settings, placing art at the centre of activity in the home.The Collective invites you to enter their world and to view things from their perspective. The show is a promenade through this reality so many do not encounter.

The core collective members are: Daniel Berhane, Jean Curtis, Gary Dunn, Sue Finn, Clea House,Tracey Musgrave, Tony Neville, Amy Pennington,Tony Neville, Helen Theodore, Alex Wright, Mia Wright, Michael Waller