THE PANACEA PLACEBO PROJECT AND PATIENT PROPERTY PROJECT

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi
With your basket and my basket the people will prosper

Kia Ora Koutou Katoa!

Human tendons� inside of psychiatric wards� 1000 surgeon's masks� I am Laurel L. Barr - a visual artist whose work uses a variety of media and has looked at the intricacies of aspects of health, health care and psychology for 10 years. My degrees are in visual art and art education, but I have dabbled in applications to medical school and research in various health projects ( http://llbarr.phanfare.com/ ) . I have always been fascinated by the human body, anatomy, medical science and health outcomes and this filters into my artwork regularly.

My curiosity, research and conversations about health relationships and experiences have led me to my latest two projects and exhibitions.

The Panacea Placebo Project
This project is about our stories as patients, the doctor-patient relationship, and communication about our bodies and ourselves and the experiences we have had. My own health has had to take priority in my life for a couple years and in talking about it with others, I realised that everyone has a story to tell about their health, their care, or interaction with the health field that has become a part of themselves. In this exhibition, you can help me show different sides of the patient-doctor relationship through collaborative works with doctors, do an interactive performance work, incorporate non-traditional medical materials into works that look at health outcomes, and empower viewers by allowing them to empower themselves by allowing me to complete my art about it.

This project has been picked up and supported by Urban Dream Brokerage (who are working to find a venue in Wellington on my behalf - an unused doctor's office). The show also aims to be a forum for discussion between health care providers, patient groups and other specialists by holding panels and various lectures within the space to create dialog and further growth and understanding.

The Patient Property Project
This exhibition started off as a response to my own mental health experience and activism, but has grown to gather the stories of you all. We all know the statistics and if you personally have never suffered from mental health issues, you definitely know someone who has. I have coincided this Boosted campaign to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week so that you can help broadcast from a loudspeaker the attention that this issue deserves!

In my work I have looked at various elements of my own experience which should be relatable to at least 1 in 4 of you. From the overwhelming attention that OCD takes in my daily life to being hospitalised for anxiety and depression, we can together take a journey through my world that is relatable and reflective. Works about drug companies, acute psychiatric wards, the incessant nature of OCD and the stigma that follows us in this boat are stories to be told. I hope to allow the viewer to dig a bit into a world they either know too well in themselves, or one they need to know more about.

Like Panacea Placebo, I hope to invite various groups to speak about mental illness, create discussions and open doors. There are many groups trying to fight for more funding and acceptance of mental forms of illness in a tragically sad state that it is in (did you know there are more suicides per year than car accident deaths - by double!) I have talked to some of these warriors who are supportive and engaged in this exhibition. We need to make it happen so we can provide visual art insight into some of these issues and liaise with these movers and shakers.

Why am I asking YOU?!
I need help bringing these projects to light, and for a self funded artist whose work doesn't fit the selling basket, that means that I need help from you all for money for materials, venue hire, opening costs, printing, framing and promotion. In these projects I am nearly finished with a lot of the works, but need additional help with costs - like with bookbinding, photography printing and tanning and taxidermy processing (now doesn't that sound interesting to you?)

I know in my soul and in dialog with others that these projects are important and the connections they will make to others on a personal and societal level are worth investing in.

By contributing you will become a part of this rich communication and community that wants health relationships and mental health to be looked at in new ways and improved for us all through my art, interactive experiences and events/panels/discussions that will bring together key movers and shakers within the context of art exhibitions. There are also many opportunities to participate in the works yourself.

Are You Going to Nag Me?
Asking for money is always awkward, and those who know me best know that I am not very good at self promotion, let alone asking for things. I want to give back to you and at least make this process interesting. Think of it as helpful reminding! I will be posting regularly and hope to make it entertaining for you and an insight into my creative process and some looks into the works and my stories as the campaign runs. I would really appreciate if you could spread these out to your networks to get the word out there about my campaign - you never know who my message my relate to! I am depending on you and your goodwill using this platform to help my words get out there into every nook and cranny and will love you forever for it! Please take the time to share the word - I will do you proud!

Though I have set the target for my bare minimum of necessity to make it happen, 3,500$, there is so much of these projects that I have self funded and will have to continue to contribute to out of pocket. If we can make it even bigger and grow that amount ( I know we can do it!) that means I can make the shows even bigger and better with, for example, better printing of catalogs, bigger photo prints, and a much nicer opening etc.

All About Boosted and Your Donation
Boosted is a very reputable platform backed by Westpac Bank and The New Zealand Arts Foundation used by a variety of big and small artist groups from the Royal NZ Ballet to small filmmakers. It is safe and secure and won't ever share your data or information.

Boosted helps artists to set a financial target for their campaign that seeks donations of however much or little donors would like to contribute. If the project reaches its target within its time limit, the campaign is successful, Boosted takes 10% for their support and running costs (they have been awesome help!) and I get the rest. If it DOESN'T reach the target, I get nothing and your donation is returned to you. (BOO!)

NZ contributors can even claim a tax credit of 33% and will get a tax certificate from Boosted when they contribute! Get the super nice feeling of helping me out knowing I'm going to do a bang up job of it, AND get some money back! Win win!

If you are from overseas, all Boosted donations are in NZ dollars. So if you choose to donate 50$, it will appear on your credit card at the exchange rate of the time of donation. For my US friends, for example at the time of this writing, a 50$ donation would appear as $36.22. So if you want to give 50$ US, you'd need to put in around 70$ on the donation amount. Be aware that some credit card companies will attempt to stop a purchase made overseas, assuming the card has been stolen, but this is uncommon and can be remedied with a call to your credit card company or bank to assure them that the purchase is justified.

The amount you choose to donate won't be published, but you can choose to donate anonymously or using your own profile so we can see your smiling face knowing you made my world a little more special.

In order to make a donation you will need to join Boosted - it's like registering. This allows them to send you a tax receipt and keep up to date with my campaign. You need to press the big "DONATE" button, and the directions are clear from there! There is also a FAQ and you can contact them directly with any questions you may have about the process.

Now don't you just want to hit that button and be a part of this?

Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!
So I'll be regularly updating this space and letting you know about it (trust me, you'll hear about it), but I need your help to make this grow. If you can't contribute, please spread the word, but together we can make this happen and open a new world looking at health in society! I am so grateful for the undying support and interest that these projects have gathered over my time making work and talking about it and I am so thankful for anyone who will push this to the next level. Thank YOU for helping me make this happen!