New mural by service users and staff at Chase Farm | News

Devon Ward at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield held an event on Wednesday 20 September to celebrate and unveil a new mural titled ‘Behind the mask’.

The event was a celebration of the talent and collaborative efforts that went into creating the mural from staff and service users alike.

The celebration also saw staff and service users showcase their flair and collective spirit by reading poetry, rapping, singing and dancing together.

The celebration also saw staff and service users showcase their flair and collective spirit by reading poetry, rapping, singing and dancing together.

The mural itself is the result of 12 weeks of art therapy group sessions run by art psychotherapist Fiona Grainger, alongside occupational therapists and ward staff.

These sessions united Devon Ward’s male members and staff in producing artwork, which was inspired by discussions within the group about the different paths that the men took to get to the ward.

For many, the journey had included significant trauma and adversity, Fiona explains, which led members of the group to “mask their true selves to survive”. But the art group was “a safe space for the men to talk about what was behind their masks”. The group showed their empathy and kindness when listening to fellow members’ experiences.

Creating a mural to celebrate all the good behind every person’s mask helped foster a sense of togetherness and an atmosphere of mutual support, according to Fiona. Therefore, the name ‘Behind the mask’ is fitting.

The men used mask templates from all over the world—reflecting their collective international heritage—and decorated these with different colours and fabrics. This activity helped boost the group members’ sense of their own autonomy.

To bring the masks together to create the mural, they drew on British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare’s ‘Modern Magic’ series of work.

The idea was to use colours that would brighten up the walls without being overstimulating—it was important to bear in mind that certain people’s sensory issues can have visual triggers.

The mural took a day and a half to complete, with service users, staff and Fiona collaborating in a celebration of survival and humanity.

During one of the 12 sessions, the group had also been encouraged to write some poetry or lyrics about their masks. Fiona describes how “truly moving” this was for all involved.

Fiona sums up the importance of creative activities such as those the men took part in:

“Creative activities are essential on the ward. Sometimes it is hard to find the words to describe how you feel, so an image can act as a conduit for emotions. These activities are inclusive and accessible because communication between participants can go beyond just the verbal.

"The men found the group to be a safe space to ‘unload’ verbally and non-verbally using art. The space allowed people to reflect about their lives and think about what could be different in the future.

"When we engage in something creative, we create new neural pathways in our brain, which can help us think differently.”