Constellations of Care

Constellations of Care is a new project developed by artists Amanda Camenisch and Therese Westin and commissioned as part of our Mental Health strand.

This two-part commission was hosted at the Victoria & Albert Museum, bringing together a sound meditation and performance, shining a light on the healing capacities of sound and movement.

It is is the continuation of an ongoing participatory project with migrants and refugees meeting regularly to explore movement and sound together. Their most recent project titled Lyra was supported by Arts Council England, SPACE Ilford and the Community Engagement Fund. In its entirety Lyra contained an installation, sounds sculptures, radio programs, workshops, a vinyl record, a performance project and mentorship program. Lyra explored themes around the notion of the home as a cloud, through collective sound exploration and sculptural work over a period of 14 months.

The first part of Constellations of Care at the V&A was a sound meditation performed by Dotty Fernandez, Florence Musa, Freida C. McNeil, Priyanka G Geriya, Sharon and Sungyeon Kim, who will be using 4 bespoke elemental sound sculptures.

Sound, music and singing are some of the oldest ways of building community, gathering to worship and connect with each other and the divine. The sound sculptures built by Amanda Camenisch and Therese Westin are ceremonial and alchemical objects. They relate to different elements; Air, Water, Earth and Aether, created with the intention to function as portals, gates and activators, to produce cleansing and uplifting frequencies. Some of the sculptures use long notes and extended reverberation times that create overtones, building on a tradition of reverberation and echo as key sonic components for sounding in sacred spaces.

The second part was a movement-based performance, where 16 performers came together to form intricate patterns symbolizing care, nurture, and love. Through a series of gestural movements, they communicate in a language that opens empathic channels, revealing layers of physical and emotional strength, resilience, lineage, and faith.

The performance unfolded through a blend of structured games, improvisation, and rehearsed sequences. Known hymns intertwined with vocal improvisations, harmonizing in a celebration of unity and worship. Movement and songs became vessels for communication.

Exploring the depths of the human experience, the performers delved into the nurturing, caring aspects of their being, unravelling what is stored within their bodies. Boundaries blurred as bodies transform into entire landscapes, symbolising the interconnectedness of humanity and the shared experiences that bind us together.

The piece echoes the verse “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), inviting contemplation on our divine connection and unity beyond earthly boundaries.

Conceived by Amanda Camenisch and Therese Westin. Performed and directed by: Abimbola, Dotty, Elizabeth Addoi, Florence Musa, Freida C. McNeil, Funmilda Olojo, Grace Ade, Grace Owolabi, Jemilat, Kristina, Ladun Mary Oguntoyinbo, Leo, Ms Jumoke, Margaret, Nada Alharbi, Ola Fagbemi, Pham B Long, Priyanka G Geriya, Sharon, Sungyeon Kim, Vanessa Mirza, Zara.

About the Artists

Working with sound, textiles, sculpture and poetry as art-making and healing practices, Amanda and Therese develop collaborative projects that centre the experiences of its participants through a trauma-informed approach. Focusing on facilitating holistic spaces and experiences that become conduits for artistic expression, the artists tend to both individual and collective needs in the process of developing projects and creating artworks with various private and public outcomes.

Some of the performers are people with whom Amanda and Therese have worked with for several years, some have joined the project just a few months ago. The foundation for the collective creative process has been a deep appreciation for music and sound, movement, and conversations around faith and belonging. The voices and stories, poems and songs of Abimbola, Clara Soyinka, Dotty, Elizabeth Addoi, Florence Musa, Freida C. McNeil, Funmilda Olojo, Grace Ade, Grace Owolabi, Jani, Ladun Mary Oguntoyinbo, Leo, Ms Jumoke, Margaret, Pham B Long, Priyanka G Geriya, Sharon, Sungyeon Kim, Vanessa Mirza, Zara featured in a 4 part radio program on Montez Press Radio.

The collectively created sound scores and individual solos will be pressed onto a vinyl record that can be purchased later on in the year.

Find our more about Lyra here. 

Commissioned as part of London Refugee Week 2024, produced by Counterpoints Arts in collaboration with the V&A.

Photos © Hydar Dewachi