Chin up
Chin up is an Arts-Health for wellbeing project placing sculptures made out of recycled objects, found objects in nature, chicken wire, tinfoil into the trees, in green spaces around Leigh and Ashton in Makerfield in the Wigan Borough, Greater Manchester.
The concept behind this project came began from the idea of using recycling wood and metal making them into a new sculpture. Using recycled objects symbolises the transformation of a person who has, or has had, a mental health illness can make or a person who undergone personal difficulties and transformed themselves into someone new.Historically people who have low mood walk sit in a head down position and are less likely to visit green spaces outside. So we decided to display the sculptures in trees. Members of the public who will view the sculptures in the parks, as well as our group members, would have to put their body into a ‘chin up’ shoulders back body positive position to view them. It is
well researched that artificially putting your body into a body positive position will overtime increase positive mental health and wellbeing.
Members of our newly formed Thursday Sculpture Maker group have been the main contributors for this project, plus some additional sculptures from our Monday Makers group at My Life Legacy at Leigh Sports Village, plus local Artist Emma Saunders.
We were funded by Wigan Councii’s The Deal to provide four rounds of a ten week course. We completed the first round in August 2018 which produced the below sculptures which are
currently installation at Jubilee Park. The sculptures made at the current course and Spring course will both be installed and displayed at Lilford Park, Leigh.
If you’d like to join in and contribute and be part of your community then please call in on Thursdays between 10-12pm at LEIGHway, Leigh.
