The Children’s Sensorium – Art, play and mindfulness for post-pandemic recovery was an exhibition that brought together sensory-based art installations featuring First Nations connection to country with mindfulness and embodiment strategies to enhance wellbeing for children (ages 4-11), with a focus on post-pandemic recovery. Curated by Grace McQuilten with artistic direction from Boonwurrung elder N’Arweet Carolyn Briggs, the exhibition included sense-based installations that draw on touch, sound, vision, smell and taste to create an environment that is fun, engaging and activates children’s curiosity while connecting them to strategies and techniques that support resilience and wellbeing. It was presented at RMIT’s Design Hub Gallery as part of The Big Anxiety Festival 2022 in Melbourne (TBA Naarm) produced by leaders in the field of psycho-social approaches to mental health, professors Jill Bennett and Renata Kokanović.
The Children’s Sensorium was created with leading contemporary artists including Larissa Hjorth (play and games), Hiromi Tango (colour and textile installation), Fiona Hillary (light), Philip Samartzis (sound), Heather Hesterman (planting and cultivation of plants), Anna Schwann (scent installation) with designer Anthony Clarke (Bloxas) and embodiment specialists Tamara Borovica, Angela Clarke and Camilla Maling.
The exhibition was presented by RMIT Culture. The research project and exhibition was funded by VicHealth.
