One of the MA in Visual Sociology core courses, Inventive Sociological Practice, was organised around the theme of ‘austerity and the body’. The course included workshops whereby students collated an archive of academic and popular literature and visual and sensory materials. It finished with a public exhibition at which students showed their work.
Detail from work by Marina da Silva
Detail from work by Hana Makovcova
This work addressed issues such as: depression and mental illness; food, ‘choice’ and healthy eating; austerity materials and substances; community and freecycling; gender, craft and domesticity; apathy and political (re-)awakening; domestic violence; public space and the politics of austerity. It included films, photography, drawings, sound pieces, installations, games – and cake.
Thanks to Anna Hickey-Moody and the Centre for Arts and Learning for loaning us their studio space for the exhibition.
Page title image: detail from work by Marina da Silva.