Productions

HOME TRUTHS explores notions of home, family and belonging and considers the impact of trauma on women’s lives. The work was staged across four large TV screens, with 5 smaller screens providing break out spaces and resource materials. The work is watched seated around a large wooden trestle table, with self-regulating craft activities taking place around the table during and after watching the work along with facilitated discussion.

Sessions were open to the general public (aged 16+, performance artists, invited groups of women affected by the issues involved and professionals who work in social care, family intervention, attachment, trauma, child psychotherapy, social work and adoptive parents, foster carers. Discussions considered attachment theory, the form of the work as a translation of lived experience and the emotional labour involved for the women involved and those who work to support them.

Context

HOME TRUTHS opened as part of Brighton Digital Festival at VDT’s studio 25 October – Saturday 6 November 2021 and in Coventry Artspace Arcadia Gallery from 8 – 13 November 2021. An excerpt was also screened as part of the The Words and Voices Roadshow, University of Warwick’s Resonate Festival for Coventry City of Culture and the full installation facilitated again at Coventry Artspace.

ART OF ATTACHMENT (2018) Live link to was originally commissioned by Oasis Project and funded by Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England Lottery Funding and VDT’s NPO funding.

HOME TRUTHS was supported by academic collaborator Dr Cath Lambert, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick, and funded by an ESRC Impact Acceleration Award, supported by the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender at the University of Warwick and by Arts Council England, through VDT’s regular National Portfolio Organisation funding.

Who's Who

• Directed and Designed by
  • Charlotte Vincent
• Filmed and Edited by
  • Bosie Vincent
• Composer
  • Jules Maxwell
• Production Manager
  • Mat Ort

Photo Gallery

‘As a social work professional, I think the experience is very powerful to help practitioners understand the lives they are involved in.’  Social Worker, FADC Birmingham

‘I found myself reflecting on how our behaviours, reactions and responses are interpreted and misinterpreted.’ Social Worker, Breaking the Cycle, Birmingham

‘There is no sentimentality… it does not ask us to judge or to pity – but allows us to witness the exhausting labours involved in experiencing, acting out and recovering from trauma.’ Rachel Thomson, Professor of Childhood and Youth Studies, University of Sussex

‘The courage of the women included was striking. I found the juxtaposition of professionals and non-professionals, of dance and narration, exciting and impactful – and also the use of sound, short sentences, repeated words and themes, breath work and music helped create an urgency and intensity in the work – and a sense of almost the claustrophobia of the lived experience of the women.’ Audience / Participant

‘Really powerful work, in a safe setting.’ Audience / Participant

‘Having lived similar experiences, I found it very useful as a survivor of domestic abuse to watch and see abuse and attachments from a different perspective.’ Audience / Participant

‘I found the work incredibly important and powerful.’ Audience / Participant

‘I really appreciated the self-regulation activities, they allowed me to take a step back when I felt I needed to, or slightly give myself some space from the visuals/audio.’ Audience / Participant

‘Enabled me to reflect on my own practice and work with families.’ Professional

‘So very powerful and poignant, it will stay with me for a long time.’ Audience / Participant

‘I found myself reflecting on how our behaviours, reactions and responses are interpreted and misinterpreted.’ Audience / Participant

‘An excellent impactful piece of work that has stimulated a huge amount of reflection for me and provoked an empathy in the experience of the women involved.’ Audience / Participant