Marcus Coates Explores Psychosis Through Collaborative Films at Churchill Gardens Estate
Marcus Coates showcases 'The Directors,' a collection of five films being screened at Churchill Gardens Estate in Pimlico, London, until October 30. The project features individuals with firsthand experience of psychosis—Marcus Gordon, Stephen Groves, Lucy Dempster, Anthony Donohoe, and Mark Banham—who were selected through the mental health charity Mind. Each participant takes on the role of a director, offering narration as Coates embodies their experiences. Steering clear of psychiatric conventions, the focus shifts to the emotional inquiry of 'how does it feel?' Coates engages in a conversation with psychiatrist Dr. Isabel Valli about his creative process. The films illustrate his efforts to express psychotic symptoms, highlighting the isolation, fear, and societal stigma associated with psychosis, while referencing Karl Jaspers's 1913 text 'General Psychopathology.'
Key facts
- The exhibition 'The Directors' runs through October 30.
- It is located at Churchill Gardens Estate in the Pimlico area of London.
- Artist Marcus Coates created five collaborative films for the project.
- Collaborators with lived experience of psychosis directed the films: Marcus Gordon, Stephen Groves, Lucy Dempster, Anthony Donohoe, and Mark Banham.
- The mental health charity Mind helped recruit participants.
- Coates performs the experiences described by the directors in each film.
- A conversation with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Isabel Valli accompanies the exhibition.
- The work references philosopher-psychiatrist Karl Jaspers and his concept of 'un-understandable' psychotic symptoms.
Entities
Artists
- Marcus Coates
- Marcus Gordon
- Stephen Groves
- Lucy Dempster
- Anthony Donohoe
- Mark Banham
- Karl Jaspers
- Dr. Isabel Valli
Institutions
- Mind
- Churchill Gardens Estate
- ArtReview
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Pimlico