Review: Scare in the community

Octavia Arts: The Scream, 2008 - video still

CONSIDER Hackney and you might find yourself asking familiar questions – is it a safe place to travel about in; is it a place with little going for it? Is it a pool of deceit and violence, a cheap copy of Harlem in New York?

Whatever the answer, it is without a doubt a borough of contradictions, with neighbourhoods that are anything but predictable.

Such were my thoughts as I entered a church on Homerton High Street for an evening with Core Arts which explored the issue of mental health through film and other media.

‘Scare in the Community‘, was a fitting title for the event, with a location to match.

Exhibiting the works of mental health service users alongside that of leading contemporary artists, the theme of the show sought to examine society’s response to the idea of ‘care in the community’ for the treatment of mental health problems over extended hospitalisation.

The event showcased a selection of art works (videos, performances, 2-D and 3-D works) that highlight the problems faced by those suffering from mental illness.

It sought to challenge perceptions of those suffering mental distress and confront the fear of communities at the idea of free integration.

In the back room of the building people stood in awe as they watched a series of documentaries. Each addressed a controversial issue that is all too often dealt with insensitively. In these short films – between five and ten minutes long – it was sensitively and imaginatively explored.

But the message -that a change needs to occur in peoples’ attitudes towards mental health- may fall on deaf ears somewhat, due in some part to the limited resources available to the production team.

‘Scare in the Community‘ by Core Arts was at St Barnabas Church, 109 Homerton High Street on Saturday 24 October.