Objectified
Launched at Manchester Art Gallery on World Homeless Day on 10 October 2018
20 OBJECTS. 20 EXTRAORDINARY STORIES
Objectified was an interactive exhibition and project that explored the hidden causes of homelessness and the science behind how people become dehumanised.
The project involved staging the stories of 20 objects donated to the museum from a range of people, many of whom are or who have been homeless. To make Objectified MoH worked with world class social neuroscientist Dr Lasana Harris to explore the neuroscience behind how people become marginalised.
Museums usually hold great treasures like paintings in golden frames, marble statues or grand old books. Our treasures might look ordinary in comparison, they include bin bags, tobacco and a comb. But each is a fragment of a life lived. The stories they tell challenge stereotypes about what it means to be homeless and reveal a history that’s too often hidden. We think they can change your mind in a literal sense, altering how the brain responds to homelessness.
Objectified launched in Manchester in October 2018 will continued until mid 2019 with events and talks. Objectified was funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Patient Safety Translational Research Centre.
Objectified documentary – Watch here
Directed by talented film-maker Dorothy Allen-Pickard, this short Objectified docu-drama presents an original blend of verbatim performances, neuroscientific research and group discussion that explores how the power of objects and stories can change the way we respond to homelessness.
————————————-
What else happened?
The project launched with a five day interactive exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery on 10 October-14 October 2018 that featured film, verbatim performances and discussions. It has also included:
The Human Stories of Homelessness, 27 October 2018, Federation House
Museum of Homelessness presented a two hour workshop as part of the the Manchester Science Festival that featured MoH co-founders Matt and Jess, neuroscientist Lasana Harris and the object story performers. The workshop offered people a chance to understand in greater depth, the science behind the project and once again hear some of our object story performers.
Actions on Homelessness on 14 November 2018, Nowgen Centre
Actions for Change was an all day event exploring homelessness, primary health care, patient safety and mental health through a range of interactive workshops, discussions and presentations. Throughout 2018, the Museum of Homelessness (MoH) has been collaboratively developing a partnership with the Patient Safety Translational Research Centre and the Public Programmes Team at Manchester University NHS Trust to explore how a museum object – and its story – can affect positive change in health care settings and research.
The Ground Beneath your Feet, screening on 17 January at Castlefield Gallery
Screening of the Objectified film as part of the Ground Beneath your Feet event season – an exhibition exploring globalisation, disapora and housing insecurity.
Conferences, March – July 2019
Stories from Objectified were presented at health and homelessness conferences between March and July at the QNI Homeless Health Learning conference in Birmingham (March), the ACP conference in Manchester (March) and the Representing Homelessness conference at the University of Lincoln in July.
Project partners
It has been further supported in part by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR Greater Manchester PSTRC) and Public Programmes team at Manchester University NHS Trust. The views expressed in Objectified are those of the author(s) and donor(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Key partners on the project include Thoughtworks, Manchester Art Gallery, Mustard Tree, H3 – Helping the Homeless into Housing and Groundswell.
