Adrian Bean is a volunteer guide at the Panacea Museum, and a Trustee / Guide at the Foster Hill Road Cemetery.
'Come on: feel the Silence'
Jacqui and Lauren get it. Like all of us who feel an affinity with the Society, they genuinely feel the atmosphere of the place. The quietness, the solitude and the timelessness. But unlike most of us they have the talent to put this into a visual form- Jacqui with intricate paper models and Lauren with evocative photographs.
I'm not surprised they hit the spot, as I've known Lauren as a volunteer over the years and seen the simple effectiveness of Jacqui's sculptures before, at the NOHAT exhibition in 2018. Yes- they get it, and have produced a genuinely felt representation of the households.
Dilys' Bedroom Hallway, photograph by Lauren Saunders-Love
Rightly, Dilys is the underlying focus of both artists, with an evocative photograph of the corridor to her room, a place that should have seen much joy and playfulness in her childhood, but likely didn't. Like the other images, it's shrouded and full of mystery, It's a place empty of life, and probably love. She may have not known happiness as most people know it, not did she have a fulfilling career. Like the Mariner, she was sadly 'all, all alone' carrying the albatross of her depression. To her, the creaking of a floorboard outside her room might have been a worrying sign that someone was spying on her, whereas to most it could be a familiar and comforting sound in a secure and happy home. There are no ghosts at the museum, but there is an atmosphere of mystery which Lauren has evoked in a really effective way.
At times here perhaps, just as in space, no-one can hear you scream.
I loved Jacqui's 'Shiloh's Cradle', but the most striking model for me is that of Dilys' house at The Grove. In real life the art deco house is large and impressive and suitable for God's Granddaughter. The sculpture is of course small, hinting at how small Dilys' life became, especially in her last years. It was limited, solitary and sad.
When viewed in isolation, the piece could be taken as a prison more than a home. Dilys did make attempts to connect with Members, but they came to nothing and she died a recluse in her own 'House of Waiting'. She was buried in an unmarked grave.
It's hard to explain the effectiveness of the exhibits, as you have to feel it for yourself. I'd recommend going on a quiet day- perhaps opt for a rainy or cold day. Then you might feel the silence, the solitude and the timelessness for yourself.
