The Dementia Carers Campaign Network (DCCN), supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, is an advocacy group for those who have experience caring for a loved one with dementia. The DCCN aims to be a voice of, and for, dementia carers in Ireland and to raise awareness of issues affecting families living with dementia.
Most recently, members of the DCCN, and other family carers supported by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, collaborated with visual artist Marie Brett and dance artist Philip Connaughton (pictured), to share their stories of caring for someone with dementia.
The resulting artwork is a cross-disciplinary installation which re-imagines the hidden, and often challenging, aspects of caring, while exploring the possible implications of new capacity legislation for family carers.
Acclaimed artist Marie Brett is regarded by many as a leading exponent of trans-disciplinary social arts practice, and she brings her unique vision to this contemporary artwork. The piece, which combines live dance and spoken word with floor drawing and sculptural and video elements, is creatively and sensitively brought to life by award-winning dance artist and choreographer Philip Connaughton.
The aim of this artwork is to build new audiences, to offer topical thinking and reflection space, and to encourage philosophical consideration of how human rights can be promoted and protected in Ireland. Family carers who contributed to this project were moved by the experience.
“I was sceptical at first, but I found the process incredibly cathartic, and it released a lot of inner feelings,” said Ray Cregan, Vice-Chair of the DCCN.
The artwork was intended as a live performance in 2020, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the piece was re-imagined as a socially distanced live event without audience, and documented by film, created entirely during a Level 5 Lockdown. The Irish Museum of Modern Art kindly agreed to stream it for two weeks in April 2021, and a bespoke website www.yesbutdoyoucare.ie now houses the artwork and supporting contextual materials such as contributor's interviews, written texts, plus responses to the artwork.
For more information on the DCCN please visit www.alzheimer.ie or email advocacy@alzheimer.ie
