At the beginning of next year, a new exhibition at Bethlem Museum of the Mind will showcase Alison Lapper’s (b.1965) work that explores her journey of grief since the untimely death of her son Parys.
Alison Lapper: Lost in Parys will present a range of new work that delves into a world where silence often shrouds the depths of human suffering, and the power of creativity emerges as a beacon of hope.
Alongside her own work will be sculptures and photographs from friends and contemporaries Marc Quinn (b.1964) and Rankin (b.1966), echoing and exploring the recent life events of Alison and the effect it has had on her as both a mother and an artist. The dialogue between these three artists will present visitors to the Bethlem Museum of the Mind with an intimate narrative that explores grief and mental health alongside Alison’s reflection on the complexities of motherhood, even in the direst of circumstances.
Bethlem Museum of the Mind is an apt location for such an exploration given it is situated within the grounds of the historic Bethlem Royal Hospital, where mental health services are delivered to this day. First opened in 1970, the museum has been situated in a beautiful Art Deco building since 2015 where it cares for an internationally renowned collection of archives, art and historic objects. The Museum aims to advance understanding of how to live well with mental health and amplify the voice of people with lived experience, as well as tackle misinformation and fear concerning mental health in order to change behaviour and judgement.
The exhibition promises to be both a challenging and uplifting look at a wide range of difficult subjects including mental and physical health, grief, trauma, motherhood and personal loss.
At the forefront of these themes stands the extraordinary career of Alison Lapper, recipient of an MBE for her services to art, and a leading member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of the World (AMFPA). She came to wider public attention with her collaboration with sculptor Marc Quinn, at a time when she was pregnant with her son Parys, which resulted in the iconic statue Alison Lapper Pregnant. This work sat atop the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square from 2005-2007. Tragically, Parys would die at the age of 19 on 23th August 2019 from an accidental drug overdose.
Now her new work channeling four years of a mother’s grief will be the focal point of her exhibition at Bethlem Museum of the Mind. The installation Lost in Parys is a raw, unfiltered expression of her grief through paint and media. Alongside a variety of paintings of her beloved son, the images together will communicate an experience of pain intertwined with a mother´s unwavering, unconditional love.
Commenting on her thoughts that led to the new work, Alison Lapper said:
I’m Lost in Parys. It’s a loss that has rearranged my world, watching him fade away in front of my eyes because of the effects of addiction and mental health. It is a death that has changed how I see everything, a grief that has torn everything down, and an unbearable pain that leaves me vulnerable, navigating my feelings through my work.
A series of new photographs by British photographer Rankin (b.1966) will also be on display as part of the exhibition. A close friend of Alison since working together on the BBC Documentary ´No Body´s perfect´ in 2016, Rankin has now captured Alison in a series of images that chart in stark reality the grieving process of a mother, from mental and physical pain to glimpses of hope and happiness.
It all began with Marc Quinn’s sculpture and now two works from that time will also be on display, charting the evolution of Parys as a subject. Quinn produced several sculptures of Alison and Parys, and the exhibition will display one showing Alison pregnant created in 2000, and a later sculpture that included Parys after he had been born. Differing from Alison’s new work, these sculptures will show the joy of motherhood, in what Lapper called “her greatest achievement”. The exhibition will chart how one life can encapsulate both bliss and sorrow and how the perception of work can change depending on subsequent events that unfold.
Alison´s determination to ensure her son’s life and death were not in vain has also resulted in the creation of the charity ´The Drug of Art´, which launched last year. Recognising the power and importance that art can hold when dealing with mental health, Lapper decided to set up a charity with award–winning director Victoria Holden to reach as many people as possible. It seeks to demonstrate the power and importance of art as a tool for mental health and wellbeing and has already delivered workshops to over 400 young people and raised over £80,000. As part of the charity’s work, six individuals aged under 25 have also been chosen to exhibit work on similar themes at the Museum of the Mind.
Alison Lapper will also take this exhibition to a special place when it tours to her hometown of Worthing. This edition will include several workshops run by Alison herself.
For all its heart-breaking particularity, the story of Alison and Parys resonates because it is so relatable. At the heart of this exhibition is an unsolicited – and possibly uncomfortable – but hope-inspiring gift, the gift of total honesty. It is our privilege to pass on to a wider audience what we have received from Alison Lapper, Marc Quinn and Rankin.
Colin Gale, Director of Bethlem Museum of the Mind
Alison Lapper: Lost in Parys, 7th February –11th May 2024, Bethlem Museum of the Mind
