6 Queen Square, The Art Workers' Guild, WC1N 3AT

What happens when visual art runs into and runs riot with ADHD? What are the frisson and frictions that arise? What do they say about how we perceive others who are different and who think differently? What are the possibilities and limitations of a term like ‘neurodiverse art’? What is the role of mind wandering in ADHD and the creative process? What other magic carpets could we make? Where do we want them to take us?

Join King's artist Dr Kai Syng Tan, currently resident in the department of Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry at King's, and Professor Philip Asherson, Professor of Molecular Psychiatry at King's, on Tuesday 24 April for the launch of I Run and Run, Let Out An Earth-Shattering Roar and Turn Into A Giant Octopussy. Part of a 1.5 year project #MagicCarpet, this is a new tapestry artwork arising from an ongoing dialogue between Kai and Philip on mind wandering and how that relates to the creative process and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Through a series of provocations and a discussion, the evening explores the creative process, how it relates to our different brains, and the possibilities and limitations of ‘neurodiverse art’.

Triggering the conversation alongside Kai and Philip are Prue Cooper and Fleur Oakes (The Art Workers’ Guild), Professor Andrew Stahl (UCL Slade School of Fine Art), Jo Verrent (Unlimited) and Ben Platts-Mills (Headway East London). There will also be live demonstrations by Fleur Oakes, Rachael Matthews, and Paul Jakeman of the Guild. Come ride the #MagicCarpet. Let’s see how far we can go together. 

This venue is wheelchair accessible. A BSL interpreter will be available on the evening and there is also a quiet room. Please contact magiccarpet@kaisyngtan.com regarding your access requirements and the team will be happy to help. 

#MAGICCARPET

The event is part of and enacts Kai’s 1.5-year practice-led research project We sat on a mat and had a chat and made maps! #MagicCarpet. The project unfolds through a series of residencies, talks, workshops and the creation of a new participatory tapestry art installation. As Artist-in-Residence at MRC SGDP at King's, Kai gatecrashes the world of psychiatry to participate in seminars, as well as volunteer for scientific experiments. 

We sat on a mat and had a chat and made maps! #MagicCarpet is a 2017 Unlimited commission. Unlimited is an arts commissioning programme that celebrates ambitious work by disabled artists. Unlimited is funded by Arts Council England, and delivered by Shape Arts and Artsadmin. The project is part of King's artists programme supported by Cultural Programming and the Department of Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre at King's College London. 

TEAM: Artist, Principal Investigator: Dr Kai Syng Tan (King's College London, University College London) / Mentor: Professor Philip Asherson (King's College London) / Arts Production Manager: Alessandra Cianetti / Sound and Music Director: Philip Tan (Philbeat) / Film Director: Michael Larsson (Ohsoweird) |  Partners: Submit To Love Studios (Headway East London), UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN). For more information visit http://wesatonamat.weebly.com