Sharing the experience of caring through art

Artist in Residence Xuechang Leng’s paintings and installations highlight the emotional experiences of carers and those living with dementia

The ALLIANCE’s Carer Voices project has been hosting an Artist-in-Residence in partnership with the Scottish Graduate School of Arts & Humanities (SGSAH).

Xuechang Leng, an architectural and colourist artist, has been working with Tommy Whitelaw, ALLIANCE National Lead for Caring and Outreach, listening to families, staff and residents on what matters to them. Xuechang also spent time reading the letters that we have received through our letters, life and love stories campaign. From this, he has produced two watercolour paintings and five glass/resin pieces to say thank you to people for all that they do to make a difference, and to tell a story of beauty, kindness, and care. The art will be donated to care homes over the next months, allowing staff, residents and their families to enjoy.

Xuechang says:

“Although dementia affects people differently, through the conversations and participant observations with the residents in care homes, I was and still am moved by each one’s tenacious vitality, unique personality, and accumulated life stories, which deserve to be valued and respected.”

View Xuechang’s art pieces on Twitter (this link will take you away from our website)

This work has led to a new partnership between Xuechang, the ALLIANCE and GCHSCP, to produce a further five new art installations for care homes. Five care homes are reviewing initial sketches, ahead of staff workshops where they will choose the final installations to be produced by Xuechang over the next few months.

Sara Redmond, Chief Officer and the ALLIANCE says:

“I had the chance to get an early indication of the ideas which Xuechang has come up with for the art installations he will make for people living in and working in care homes around Glasgow, and I can’t wait to see the final pieces. Artistic expression is both a way of helping us to make sense personally of our circumstance, but also to connect with others, so I’m delighted that staff, residents and their families will soon be able to experience these exciting new installations.”

Tommy Whitelaw, National Lead for Caring and Outreach at the ALLIANCE says:

“It’s been brilliant to work with Xuechang over the last couple of years. We are so very grateful for his persistence and commitment to finish these brilliant pieces of work during the pandemic. We look forward to donating them to health and social care colleagues across Scotland, and hope that they will inspire reflection about the experiences of people living with dementia and their carers.”

Irene Oldfather, Director Strategic Partnerships and Engagement at the ALLIANCE says:

“Thanks to Xuechang for interpreting what matters to people, and from his work we see love at the heart of it.”

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