Swoon

Chris looking at 'Alixa & Naima' 2008 by Swoon. Warrington Museum & Gallery

We've been working with a group of carers at Warrington Museum, trying out ideas for re-labelling museum objects, using emotional connections with the artefacts rather than historical ones. This week we focussed on writing. Participants were interviewed about their lives as carers. They then inter-cut lines from these interviews with descriptions of objects that attracted them around the museum...


Swoon


love them as they are

thinking about them as a whole person


woman holding a friend

helping her to feel safe and secure

for me it's touch, so, so important

hand on forehead, hand on shoulder

touch her cheek or stroke her hair

kissing cares away

arms holding
an ivory statue, an all-in-one embrace

keeping her from harm

if you love someone

that caring aspect

is an easy choice:

love them as they are


Chris
16 July



Interview


Putting someone before yourself, looking after somebody's needs. Thinking about them as a whole person - all about quality of life. It's doing whats right for them, not necessarily what’s good for you.

Its arms holding me. An ivory statue, all in one embrace.

Their needs are more - they need more socially, emotionally, physically - they come first. Your brain is on that person all the time. But its not all gloom, you want to do it.

It's hard when you need help, the physical help. You're at the brunt. Social Services only help at crisis point.

You could be up 5, 6 times in the night, you have to have the knowledge first.

It's being true to yourself and true to them. Their needs are met, but there's still dignity. In our house it was fun - you just love them as who they are. If you love someone that caring aspect is an easy choice. If they can't love you back, then I don’t know…

I never made out that it was a chore - she wouldn’t accept that. A nice lady.

For me it's touch, the power of touch, so so important. Touch her cheek or stroke her hair.

Trust is quite a thing, for the person you care for, and you’ve got to trust people - the people who say they’ll come back and help. Do I trust you to look after me?

Pleasure, when I’ve done something, and I can see my mums eyes light up, when she’s in a mess, she calls herself Nanny Gu.

Chris interviewed, 16 July