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New exhibition explores the lived experience of dementia and focuses on the positives

Beyond Dementia is a new exhibition taking place at Manchester's Whitworth. Curated by Fabulous Forgetful Friends, the exhibition includes artworks created by a group of people living with dementia, displayed alongside works from the Whitworth's art collection. Its aim is to explore the lived experience of the disease, whilst looking beyond the condition and highlighting the positives.

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Close-up of a magenta wool coat with gold buttons paired with colourful floral artwork and accessories

Fabulous Forgetful Friends is a group based in Manchester organised by a not-for-profit community interest company, Together Dementia Support. The aim of the exhibition and its accompanying public programme is to explore and support active citizenship for these individuals as the producers of the exhibition, allowing a unique approach to a better understanding of dementia.

When we speak of dementia we often speak of loss: the loss of memory, the decline in physical functioning, and the progressive loss of self. This view can lead to a further and more problematic loss, the loss of voice, as the stories of people living with dementia are too often ignored.

The exhibition runs until 17 September 2017. For further details visit manchester.ac.uk/whitworth.

All images copyright of Beyond Dementia, 2017, and courtesy of The Whitworth / The University of Manchester

Child's hands holding a translucent orange sheet of paper with red text, creating a glowing effect against natural light during a creative workshop activity
Bright pink fabric with silver-grey abstract line drawings and curved shapes creating an expressive pattern
Red and white abstract artwork with geometric shapes and curved lines, shown both as a print and its embossed relief casting below
Abstract print with white striped patterns and organic flowing lines on a deep purple background, created by an artist living with dementia for the Beyond Dementia exhibition
Terracotta-coloured sculptural artwork with textured surface detail and curved form against a white background
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