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Play Well

  • 24 October 2019 – 8 March 2020
  • Press preview: 23 October 2019, 09.30

Why do we play? How important is it for all of us, young or old? What does it mean to play well?

'Play Well‘ will explore the transformative power of play in childhood and in society at large. Through a range of objects including toys, games, artworks and design objects from the 1800s to the present day, it considers how children learn through play and its importance in developing social bonds, emotional resilience and physical wellbeing. It examines the relevance of play in the adult world and its vital role in fostering imagination, enabling independent thought and challenging the status quo. Play Well presents historical and contemporary objects and artworks that invite visitors to explore and reflect upon their own play experiences and the impact of play on our lives. It includes images of children at play in the street, the playground and beyond; makeshift and commercially produced toys; digital games and an interactive installation by artist Adam James.

The first section, ‘Nature/ Nurture,’ examines the importance of play in child development and education, and how it can be employed in therapeutic work. It explores the innate drive of the young to play, featuring examples of both animal and human play. The beliefs of early educational reformers are considered, including the work of philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau and Kindergarten founder Friedrich Fröbel, both of whom set play at the centre of childhood experience and argued on behalf of the child’s right to play. The long-lasting influence of 20th century educational theorists will also feature, with figures such as Margaret McMillan in London and Loris Malaguzzi in Reggio Emilia, Italy, who advocated for learning through play.

The role of play and its therapeutic importance in uncovering trauma is considered with material from pioneers in the field such as Margaret Lowenfeld and D.W Winnicott, whose archives are held at Wellcome Collection.  Play can also serve as a retreat from conflict, fostering a sense of emotional security. Play Labs set up in Rohingya refugee camps by the humanitarian organisation BRAC offer displaced children a safe space to play. Meanwhile, photographer Mark Neville shows a child playing in the aftermath of shelling at her home in Ukraine, processing trauma with defiance and resilience.

The second section, ‘Toys Like Us,’ focuses on how children’s play reflects and adapts to the world around them. It explores the influence of contemporary culture on playground play, from clapping games and rhymes to dances inspired by the online videogame Fortnite.

The transformative potential of the imagination on basic playthings like sticks and blocks is highlighted, alongside the shift towards increasingly commercialised toys. It will chart the evolution of LEGO® products (the LEGO® name coming from the Danish words leg godt, whose meaning is "play well”). This section also explores the power of toys to challenge stereotypes and change attitudes through Toy Like Me, a creative collective who have called on the mainstream toy industry to better represent diversity in the toybox.

Finally, ‘Rules and Risk’ investigates the effect of an increasingly risk-averse society as play has shifted from the street to the playground and increasingly inside. The freedom of unsupervised outdoor play from a bygone era is captured through post war British street photography by Bert Hardy, Nigel Henderson and Shirley Baker and paintings by Joan Eardley, demonstrating children’s evident sense of ownership of the street. Pioneering playground designs by Dutch architect Aldo Van Eyck situated play within the fabric of cities, while in the UK the adventure playground movement led by Marjorie Allen aimed to ensure risk and exposure to nature were preserved. 

Meanwhile fears for safety and the rise of the digital play space have led to a reduction of freedom for today’s children. Technology offers parents an unprecedented level of surveillance, while video gaming presents its own set of opportunities and risks. In the exhibition a group of young people, part of Wellcome Collection’s Raw Minds programme, aged 14-19, respond to this question in a series of digital games, designed by them exploring loneliness, anxiety, commerce and teamwork.

The instinct to play is one that we are all born with. It is how we learn to explore the world around us, understand our own emotions, and make social connections. However, although this instinct is innate, it requires the right conditions to flourish. In a risk averse society where work is privileged over play, and children have little time or space for free unstructured play, we look at what it means to play well, and its impact on childhood and society at large.

Shamita Sharmacharja, co-curator of the 'Play Well‘ exhibition.

Accompanying the exhibition is a commission by artist Adam James, who examines the role of play in the adult world and its potential to promote empathy. James works in live action role play (larp), where the participants create a collaborative fiction and then physically act out their characters' actions. He has created a play space in the gallery where visitors can take part in either independent play, facilitated gallery games or more in depth larps which are part of Wellcome Collection’s live programme.

‘Play Well’ will be accompanied by Michael Rosen’s ‘Book of Play’, published by Profile Books, and runs at Wellcome Collection from 24 October 2019 to 8 March 2020. It is curated by Shamita Sharmacharja and Emily Sargent.

For media enquiries please contact: 

Juan SanchezComms Lead, Wellcome Collection

Notes to Editors

About Michael Rosen, ‘Book of Play’

These days, we seem to have less and less time for play. At school, children are focused on exams, while at home we're all glued to our phones and iPads. In his Book of Play, Michael Rosen shows us why we need more play in our lives. He explores the influence of play on everyone from Shakespeare to Dickens and Dali, delving into the history of play via puns, nonsense, improvisation and physical toys. He also explains why play is a core part of child development, proven to bolster creativity and resilience. Above all, play should be fun - and this book is full of silliness and laughter. Every chapter features exercises and prompts for creative indoor and outdoor play for all the family, with specially designed pages for scribbling, word play and more, illustrated by Charlotte Trounce.

About Adam James

Adam James (b. 1978) is a British artist. At the heart of his practice is a desire to bring people together to understand the self and to open new ways of being and interacting. He uses non-verbal play to encourage forms of dialogue and to reconsider sameness and difference. James makes sculptural objects, drawings, photographs, videos and texts that arise from his steadfast involvement in the performative practice of live action role play (larp). He received his BA in Fine Art at the University of Brighton in 2003. In 2007 he completed his MA in Fine Art at the Royal College of Art.

About HATO and Andrés Ros Soto

Andrés Ros Soto is a London-based 3D designer. Specialising in the design of exhibitions for museums and public institutions, Ros Soto works in close collaboration with exhibition teams to communicate complex narratives through engaging spatial design. Recent exhibitions include: Elizabeth Frink: Humans and Other animals, SCVA (2018); Mission to Mercury: BepiColombo, Science Museum (2018); Ayurvedic Man, Wellcome Collection (2017); Superstructures: The New Architecture 1960-1990, SCVA (2018); Beyond the Lab, Science Museum (2016) and One and All, National Trust / Somerset House (2015).

HATO is a close-knit design practice with a global outlook. Based in London and Hong Kong, they focus on creating design for people on a local and global scale. Their work serves as a playground for exploration, change and creativity, with a view to connect clients with their communities in a meaningful and engaging way. HATO works with some of the world’s most influential and pioneering brands and institutions creating a broad spectrum of work and projects, from marketing campaigns and identities to digital tools and installations.

About Argyle Primary School

Ros Soto and HATO worked with 24 children aged 5-11 from Argyle Primary School to develop the exhibition design of Play Well. Argyle Primary School is a local school, located in Camden., approximately 0.5 miles from the gallery.

About Wellcome Collection’s RawMinds

RawMinds is a group of young people aged 14 to 19 who meet at weekends, evenings and in the school holidays to explore ideas about science and art. Each new group takes on a fresh creative challenge together to produce original and inspiring work. For more information visit the Young People programmes website.

About Wellcome

Wellcome Collection is the free museum and library for the incurably curious. Inspired by the medical and cultural objects collected by Henry Wellcome, it connects science, medicine, life and art. Through its exhibitions, live programming, and digital and publishing activity, it makes thought-provoking content that aims to challenge how we think and feel about health.

Wellcome Collection is part of Wellcome, which exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. We are a politically and financially independent foundation.