A Mother’s Ménière's
by Gabriel Knollys
Gabriel’s second series is inspired by one of our collaborators' hearing journey of navigating Meniere's disease as a mother. The collaborator shared her story in part the Learning Workshop 03.
A Mother’s Ménière's,
in conversation
“I was inspired by the free flowing conversation and willingness of Margie and her daughter in the sharing of their experiences.”
A Mother’s Ménière's in conversation, was painted live by Gabriel whilst listening to Margie share her hearing story. Margie suffered from the sudden onset of Ménière's Disease, the conversation was facilitated by her daughter Stephanie.
The painting depicts the fear, confusion, panic and general distortion experienced by Margie in suddenly experiencing extreme vertigo, the effects of Ménière's Disease.
Margie’s relief of receiving a diagnosis and being prescribed medication to manage her condition is represented in the use of dark around the edges of the canvas; echoing a sense of enclosure and ‘ownership’.
“Margie described an intense loss of balance and sense of spinning, which is reflected in the fractured lines as they work themselves rapidly throughout the painting.”
The painting depicts the fear, confusion, panic and general distortion experienced by Margie in suddenly experiencing extreme vertigo, the effects of Ménière's Disease.
“Margie talked about feeling a sense of urgency to be given a diagnosis so that she could take back control of her life and understand what was happening to her - this took time and the lines reaching out in various directions reflect Margie’s determination to search for that answer.”
Margie’s relief of receiving a diagnosis and being prescribed medication to manage her condition is represented in the use of dark around the edges of the canvas; echoing a sense of enclosure and ‘ownership’.
A Mother’s Ménière's,
in combination 1
The second painting in the series was produced in response to Margie’s experience of living with Ménière's Disease.
Weaving through the painting are some abstract shapes based on cellular imagery of the endolymphatic hydrops, one of the pathological markers of the condition.
“The painting has incorporated and developed the brushstrokes and rhythm of the original work in order to retain a sense of the intense spinning and dizziness caused by the illness.”
Weaving through the painting are some abstract shapes based on cellular imagery of the endolymphatic hydrops, one of the pathological markers of the condition.
A Mother’s Ménière's
in combination 2
