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Use British Sign Language (BSL) to perform behind a backlit screen among colourful projected shapes inspired by the exhibition Eduardo Paolozzi. Develop a new style of visual storytelling with artist and BSL student Jennie Pedley and Deaf actress Jean St Clair. Explore the exhibition to gain inspiration for your performances.
This workshop uses a new form of BSL shadow theatre developed for Pedley’s 2015 exhibition Shadow Sign, an installation of films and interactive activities created with Jean St Clair. The films featured performances by Deaf people at The Point Gallery, Doncaster; funded by Arts Council England and featured in the Shape Open 2017.
For D/deaf and hard of hearing visitors. Free refreshments provided.
BSL interpreter Peter Abraham.
Jennie Pedley is an artist and a physiotherapist.
Her artistic practice involves collaboration with various groups, ranging from scientists to families, to explore issues which are often related to health and the environment. Her art works include virtual environments, films, drawings, prints and performances. Jennie exhibits widely and has been commissioned by organisations such as Camden Arts Centre, The Wellcome Trust, NESTA, The National Trust and the Natural History Museum and Great Ormond Street Hospital. As a physiotherapist, she works part-time at a school for the Deaf, where she is learning British Sign Language (BSL). Jennie runs BSL workshops using shadow theatre, drawing and animation, to explore the linguistics of this beautiful visual language.
Jean St Clair is a Deaf actress & BSL consultant.
Her extensive theatre career has involved working in USA, Australia, South Africa and the West End, playing the lead in Children of a Lesser God. In 2016, she performed as Lyapkin-Tyapkin in The Government Inspector at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, followed by a UK tour. She was awarded Best Actress for her role in the film, Still Here. She wrote and directed an award winning film, If I don’t Lose, I’ll Lose and recently filmed her latest comedy Signs of An Affair. Jean worked as BSL Artistic Director on Dr Who and with CBBC’s Magic Hands.
