Abstract
The project explores participatory processes through an art exhibition of stories and photographs of nature, involving care home residents. The aim is to investigate the potential for health promotion by facilitating conversations about memories of past nature experiences. Residents, who often lack access to nature and art exhibitions, engage in dialogue with the artist about places in nature that are meaningful to them. The artist then visits these locations and captures them through photography, offering an interpretation of the chosen site. The resulting stories and images are exhibited at institutions, fostering discussions about memories, nature, and art among residents and care staff. The project integrates participatory and relational design with ideas from participatory art and relational aesthetics. It challenges design’s focus on solutions and the artist's solitary process, creating a regenerative, empowering, and health-promoting space for storytelling. We believe our approach can revitalise the participants and the Nordes design community.
Keywords
Health Promotion, Relational Art, Participatory Art, Care Homes, Nature, Storytelling, Photography
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.72
Citation
Storsveen, V.,and Andersson, A.(2025) Traces of Nature, a Dialogue in Memory and Art, in Brandt, E., Markussen, T., Berglund, E., Julier, G., Linde, P. (eds.), Nordes 2025: Relational Design, 6-8 August, Oslo, Norway. https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.72
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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Included in
Traces of Nature, a Dialogue in Memory and Art
The project explores participatory processes through an art exhibition of stories and photographs of nature, involving care home residents. The aim is to investigate the potential for health promotion by facilitating conversations about memories of past nature experiences. Residents, who often lack access to nature and art exhibitions, engage in dialogue with the artist about places in nature that are meaningful to them. The artist then visits these locations and captures them through photography, offering an interpretation of the chosen site. The resulting stories and images are exhibited at institutions, fostering discussions about memories, nature, and art among residents and care staff. The project integrates participatory and relational design with ideas from participatory art and relational aesthetics. It challenges design’s focus on solutions and the artist's solitary process, creating a regenerative, empowering, and health-promoting space for storytelling. We believe our approach can revitalise the participants and the Nordes design community.