Image: The Directors: Marcus (2022)
“A big motivation for me was to make something that was leading people into the idea of relatability for these experiences, to allow people to reflect on their own idea of their reality and the temporal nature of that, but also to allow people to reflect on their own stigma.” — Marcus Coates
At King's College London
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and Science Gallery London, October 10 - 12, 2023 for World Mental Health Awareness Day
Artangel partnered with King’s College London and Science Gallery London to present The Directors for World Mental Health Day 2023. The five films were shown across both sites and each featured discussions with the directors.
Image: A panel dicussion following the screening of The Directors: Marcus (2022), at Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London. Photograph: Christa Holka
At Leicester Gallery
9 March - 3 May 2024
Leicester Gallery hosted the first complete presentation of The Directors since its launch in Pimlico in 2022. The exhibition was hosted across two venues: Leicester Gallery and Westcoates Studio 54. The presentation at Leicester Gallery at De Montfort University included the five films comprising The Directors. Exhibited for the first time was the film set and model of Lucy's bedroom, both used in the filming of The Directors: Lucy.
The exhibition at Westcoates Studio 54 included two films from The Directors: Lucy and Anthony, selected for their relevance to young people and reflecting the gallery's proximity to mental health care providers. Westcoates Studio 54 is a community arts venue that provides creative opportunities and resources to local residents, artists, community interest groups and local neighbourhood initiatives.
Artangel's Director Mariam Zulfiqar and Leicester Gallery Arts Curator Hugo Worthy have said in a joint statement, 'Centring the importance of empathy and offering the opportunity for new audiences to experience this unique project lies at the heart of Artangel’s partnership with Leicester Gallery and De Montfort University'. This presentation has created a significant legacy, building close working relationships with mental health support organisations both within the university and across the city.
Image: Installation view of The Directors, 2022 at Leicester Gallery in 2024. Photograph: David Wilson Clarke.
At Te Tuhi
24 February - 24 March 2024
For its first international presentation, Te Tuhi hosted The Directors in association with Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2024. Te Tuhi is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s foremost contemporary art spaces and a leader in supporting experimental practice.
Te Tuhi's collaboration with Artangel mirrored the original London format, screening each film in five central Auckland locations. Te Tuhi utilised its venues to foster connections between the works' themes of mental health, community and art practice and the geographic and cultural context of Aeotearoa New Zealand.
'The Directors: Stephen' was screened at Toi Ora Live Art Trust, a community arts space offering support for those navigating mental distress. 'The Directors: Lucy' was screened at Yellow Brick Road, a charity providing support, knowledge and advocacy for whānau (the Maori term for an extended community who live together) who have a loved one experiencing mental health challenges. 'The Directors: Mark' was screened at DEMO, a project space sponsored by the School of Fine Arts, Whitecliffe College. 'The Directors: Anthony' was screened at Te Wai Ngutu Kākā Gallery, a gallery sitting within the Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies, at the Auckland University of Technology. 'The Directors: Marcus' was screened at Parnell Project Space, an exhibition, performance and event space located on the platform at Parnell Train Station, Tāmaki Makaurau.
As part of the presentation, a private screening of 'The Directors: Anthony' was held at Ngutu Kākā gallery for a Medical Humanities class from the University of Auckland, that focused on visual cultures in medical history.
Image: Screening location signage for 'The Directors: Lucy', Marcus Coates, 2022. Yellow Brick Road, Tāmaki Makaurau, 2024. Presented in Aotearoa by Te Tuhi, in collaboration with Artangel and in association with Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival. Photo by Sam Hartnett