Willow.

Bolton, England : 2023.

1 photograph : Fujicolour photographic print, lustre ; 42 x 29.7 cm.

Documented in the project zine : Whose menopause? (b33252166)

“For me, spending time in nature, especially with my favourite willow tree in my local park, is the most enjoyable and efficient method of maintaining balance and wellbeing during menopause, and actually, in my life in general. Being able to identify the cause of my mood swings was particularly difficult for myself, and my wonderful GP, because I have Bipolar Disorder, which manifests mainly as a lack of balance. Being with ‘my’ tree gives me an opportunity to be mindful and grounded. This simple act of being outside, and being literally ‘in touch’ with the spirit of the tree, gives me time to relax, and a few minutes to regain balance, allowing me a break from pondering on the difficulties I am facing, and leading to clarify of thought, instead of being trapped in a menopausal brain fog."--Anastasia Hesketh, artist statement from the zine Whose menopause? .

This work is a visual legacy of 'Whose Menopause?' an Arts Council England funded project in partnership with Bolton at Home and supported by NHS Bolton CCG and Indigo Gender Service. It was a 12-month socially engaged programme of work during 2023, co-created with three community groups. The groups used photography and sustainable cameraless methods to challenge the typical menopause narrative, which often excludes people identifying as LGBTQ+, working class or from the global majority. They took inspiration from recipe books, botanical drawings, photographs and other ephemera in the Wellcome Collection - some of which can be seen in the project's resulting publication 'Whose menopause?'. For further information about the project see: http://www.margebradshawphotography.co.uk/whose-menopause.

Title provided by the artist.

Wellcome Collection 3338642i

Marge Bradshaw, Anastasia Hesketh. All Rights Reserved.