Despite the physical limitations placed on her by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), the artist Corina Duyn has consistently adapted her creativity so she has a voice and an outlet for her experiences as an artist in care. We collaborated with her on this limited edition book to present her work, her voice and give voice to those in care who have none.
– David Murphy
Corina is an artist who, over the years I have worked with on various projects such as a book, exhibition, print collateral
materials etc. During this time she has been prolific in her output and highly creative when it comes to her chosen
disciplines while she battled with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
With her pragmatic and creative mind Corina always aims to remain part of the narrative of her life. Due to the ever
increasing demands of ME, as well as the failings of a care system to support people with long term illness/disability
in their own environment, Corina made the major decision of moving into a nursing home in April 2021.
We had intermittent contact over ’22 and ’23 but during this time she adapted her art to what she was physically capable of doing, working with other artists, collaborators and advocates and produced a series of collages as an outlet for her creativity and to be used in an exhibition.
In April 23, having arrived at the point where creating collages was no longer possible she decided to put her collection aside and instead write.
At the beginning of May 2024, she came to the realisation that maybe her collages had a chance to be something more and contacted me to discuss designing and over seeing the production of a book.
Over the next six months we would collaborate over emails and text messages, twice over Zoom each for a short period as she found it difficult to manage moving images on a screen, figuring out what images would work best and in what sequence. Her collaborators each sent us their words – powerful, tender, poetic words – and we included them in the book weaving them through the images.
My role was to pull everything together. My main fear was not producing something worthy of her fight over the six months, something that was ‘less than’. This, after all, was going to be a limited addition (200 copies only), with a call to action on the back that asked those lucky enough to receive a copy of the book to consider a donation of their choice to www.waterfordhealingarts.com.
The resulting book – A5, hardback, perfect bound – was printed and delivered to her at her care home in late October ’24 and her one word text – ‘stunning’ was a relief to receive.
We plan a digital version of the book in the coming months which will include video and content to raise awareness and the need for more advocacy for those suffering from ME in care and not.
If you want to get to know her, her work and read what she has to say, go to the following:
Website – www.corinaduyn.com/site
Blog – corinaduyn.blogspot.com
For more on ME visit:
http://meadvocatesireland.blogspot.com