A pioneering exhibition exploring the intersection of art and mental healthcare will open at London’s historic Fitzrovia Chapel next month. “Shape Shift: Reflections on Art in Mental Health Settings” showcases the results of an innovative three-year project that brought world-class artists into mental health facilities.
The exhibition, running from March 13-25, 2025, features works created through a collaboration between 15 international artists and patients at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich. The project, led by mental health charity Hospital Rooms, aims to transform clinical environments through art and creativity.
Among the striking pieces on display is Michael Landy’s “Self/Other” and Fabian Peake’s “The Forest,” which features mirror writing of patients’ life stories. Visitors will be invited to contribute their own stories to the installation. The exhibition also includes Sarah Dwyer’s “Shapeshifters,” a 20-metre mural that emerged from dynamic workshop sessions with patients.
The venue itself holds special significance – the Byzantine-inspired Fitzrovia Chapel once served as a sanctuary for patients and staff of the former Middlesex Hospital, providing a fitting backdrop for works exploring healing and creativity.
“This unique project is full of contradictions, conflict and conviviality, but above all possibility,” says a Hospital Rooms spokesperson. The exhibition reflects the charity’s mission to bring world-class art to mental health settings, having completed 23 similar projects across the UK since 2016.
The free exhibition will be open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 6pm, and Sundays from noon to 5pm at the Fitzrovia Chapel in central London. The show incorporates multiple media, including cyanotype and sound installations, inviting visitors to experience the transformative impact of art in healthcare settings.
The project represents a collaboration between Hospital Rooms, Norwich University of the Arts, and mental health service users, demonstrating how creativity can reshape perceptions of mental health environments.
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