Shared Stories

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* 1. Hello, my name is Clodagh Molloy, and I am studying for my MA in Design for the Body and Environment in the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.
My Master project in NCAD is to address the subject of mental health. In particular I am trying to communicate individuals’ stories and experiences through jewellery. The jewellery will be the focus of an interactive exhibition, which will take place in the National College of Art and Design, Thomas Street, Dublin. The exhibition will be open to the public from June 3rd to June 12th, 2022.
The theme is to explore and design, jewellery objects made to initiate a dialogue around the subject of mental health. As an action against the prejudice and discrimination traditionally associated around the subject. I want to create an open and non-judgemental dialogue of education and understanding. The jewellery I am creating from stories shared with me can serve as a starting point for a conversation about its meaning and its context within society. For me this is significant as I have found that intergenerational shunning of emotions has led to the inhibition of expressing our true feelings for fear of ridicule. Mental health issues and challenges are exacerbated by stigma and discrimination which can come from a variety of sources like society, family members and social media.
However, in order for me to create this exhibition I need your help. I am asking a leap of faith. I am inviting you to share with me your experiences around this topic. It can be a personal story, or it could be an experience that you have been through with a loved one.
One of my own stories, that I am making a piece of jewellery about is my struggles with post-natal depression on my second child. Another is the story of how I never knew of a family member that had been institutionalised in the 1940’s until I interviewed family members about my family tree. My final story is about the unhealing pain that rises and falls over time from the passing of my mother.
A shared story could also be how you coped through the Covid 19 pandemic. How you feel about returning to ‘normal life’. Perhaps the anxious you might feel when you are on the bus or in the supermarket.
I would really like your experience to be in the form of a short story. Written in the answer area below. It can be written offline and copied and pasted into the answer box for convenience. Your story can also be in the form of a voice recording.
To help you in your decision as to whether or not to participate in this exhibition, let me tell you that I am not collecting or showing any identifying information given in your shared account. I will only ask you to give me email if you want to be kept informed about the jewellery made from your shared story.
What is the long-term goal for this Master project? The jewellery that I make for this exhibition I hope to exhibit further in other exhibitions beyond the NCAD show. My intention is to continually make jewellery from shared experiences in Mental Health for years to come as part of my artistic practice. It is not a standalone or once off exhibition.
I must make you aware that any information or shared experience given to me, is passed on with informed consent. Which in this case is the full knowledge that I cannot personally provide you with any form of therapy as I am not a counsellor or trained in any kind of mental health support. I also do not want you to be affected by your sharing. I would ask that you take a moment to be sure that you are able and wanting to tell me your experience.

Thank you

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* 2. If you have recorded your story please email it to clodaghmolloy@hotmail.com

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* 3. Please enter your email ONLY if you would like to have further contact about your shared experience: i.e. images of the jewellery made etc.