Seasons of Recovery

Mon 8 Dec – Sun 8 Mar

Seasons of Recovery is a project by Happy Mondays: Art for Wellbeing, a creative peer-support space run by TRC Sexual Abuse & Rape Support Greater Manchester. Through layered collage, sculpture and painting, the works exhibited explore recovery, both individual and collective, through the lens of changing seasons. The artists offer these deeply personal collective contemplations to an audience as an act of encouragement and comfort.

For the group, the natural cycle and transition of the seasons offer meaningful symbolism that echo stages and experiences of healing. Working alongside artist and facilitator El Garrard, the artists consider growth, transformation, healing, faith, rest, and the freedom of letting go through these works.

By gathering and making art with other survivors, the artists choose to direct their focus on hope, faith and safety alongside those who understand one another’s experiences. Within the series, new worlds have been crafted which represent imagined safe places. The series also features a patchwork blanket of the groups shared seasonal comforts and connections to nature.

Ashleigh Kent at TRC says: “At TRC, we believe that peer support can help to build connections and trust, which can be a significant step in rebuilding lives after rape or sexual violence. We also believe that art can be a useful tool in self-expression, communication, mindfulness, curiosity and resilience.“ 

TRC Sexual Abuse & Rape Support Greater Manchester is an intersectional feminist charity who provide services to survivors of rape and sexual abuse. At TRC, we support survivors to rebuild their lives after rape or sexual violence, no matter where or when it happened. We do this through providing a range of support, such as one-to-one counselling, an Independent Sexual Advocate service, Happy Mondays: Art for Wellbeing, and an anonymous helpline and digital service. For more information, please visit https://traffordrapecrisis.com/