‘Voices from behind the fence’ is a series of video and animation projects that Tony Gammidge has been running on medium secure forensic units and in psychiatric settings for the past six years. These projects are collaborative and aim to give a voice to the residents and service users on the units, many of whom are amongst the most socially excluded and stigmatised in our society. The projects give participants an opportunity to make their own films using stories from their experiences, memories, fantasies and imagination.
The films give an insight into the lives and imaginations of the participants on the wards, enabling them to reclaim their stories and tell them in their own way, and offering an alternative to their ‘official’ stories contained within their case notes.
A number of the projects’ films will be screened in the presentation, telling stories of violence, sexual abuse, war, mental illness, self-harm, incarceration, injustice, romance, love, music, gangs, drugs, bullying, treatment, therapy, art, recovery, and more.
Tony Gammidge will also be talking about the work, putting it into context and discussing the many ethical considerations that occur throughout the projects. There will also be time for discussion and questions.
www.tonygammidge.com