Film Launch: Through My Eyes, With My Body
Monday 5 December 2022, 1-2pm UK time , Online via Zoom
Introduction
At this webinar, we launched the film Through My Eyes, With My Body: a creative collaboration documenting the experience of pain and the multitude ways it can be experienced through a Black Woman’s perspective.
This short film was initiated by Andrea Wright who integrates physiotherapy, pain management, and somatics. Further collaborators and co-authors on this project are artist Ulanah Morris and artist/filmmaker Noorafshan Mirza.
In the webinar, the artists introduced themselves and their working process. After screening the film, there was a recorded response from Dr. Jackie Walumbe whose research is in physiotherapy and chronic pain management. The event concluded with questions and comments from attendees.
Comments in the chat
Attendees came from around the UK including Coventry, London, Manchester, Lancashire, and Kent. There were also international attendees including from Singapore, and a class of students from the Department of Performing and Digital Arts at the University of Peloponnese in Greece. Comments from attendees include:
- Gina: Thank you so much for sharing this deep & meaningful work! Congratulations to the creators and the supporters/facilitators.
- ‘Funmi: Thank you for the film. I loved watching the exchange between the two artistes and watching them move and converse. The pauses made it really moving, reflective and calm.
- Bernie: Each time I watch this film I hear more, see more and listen more carefully. It’s powerful and requires pause and reflection. It ‘works’ on so many levels. The importance of ‘being’ is profound.
- Kauser: The discussion and imagery from the video reminded me of the Harlem Renaissance issue of FIRE!!! https://issuu.com/poczineproject/docs/poczp_fire_1926_readview
- Imale: Thank you for the film and the expansion possibilities within our bodies that it draws our attention to; deep gratitude to all that were involved to make this possible!
- Anna: So much appreciation to all who contributed to this profound film … being with pain, love, life and holding safe spaces for each other. And obviously making the black bodies and their pain visible within white spaces
- Hetty: Thank you so much for sharing the film. I found it very moving and thought-provoking. Thank you also for the very interesting discussions.
- Amy: Thank you all for this profound film and for this event.
A visual response
One participant, Eugenia, created an image a response to the event:
She says: I couldn’t think of a good way to thank all of you for the truths raised in the film. So I wished to send something that embodied how inspiring the film was. There is no “right” interpretation of the image, but for me, it was a visualization of the energy and strength that I felt from Andrea and Ulanah as framed by Noorafshan.
Further Information
Conversations from themes in the film also sparked the ‘Creating Space‘ guidelines for the Somatic Practice and Chronic Pain Network.
Please get in touch with any comments to emma.meehan@coventry.ac.uk or andrea@integratherapy.co.uk
We acknowledge the support of UKRI/AHRC for funding the Somatic Practice and Chronic Pain Network which commissioned this film.
All rights reserved. To reference please cite Andrea Wright, Ulanah Morris, Noorafshan Mirza and the Somatic Practice and Chronic Pain Network, funded by the AHRC.
