ENDOMORPHOSIS IS PART OF METAMORPHOSIS, OUR ONGOING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN WHICH WE’VE BEEN STUDYING THIS GLOBAL ART FORM, FROM ITS ANCIENT ROOTS, TO MODERN CULTURAL FORM, TO HOW BODYPAINTING CAN BE AN EMPOWERING TOOL TO BOOST WELLBEING.
In March 2022 we brought together a group of 12 incredible women with Endometriosis and 8 local artists as part of Endometriosis Awareness Month. In these collaborative sessions participants shared their experiences and explored how body painting could best represent them and their stories. We finished the project with a day of body painting and captured some amazing and powerful images, which participants can hold onto forever.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT ART IS THE PERFECT TOOL TO RAISE AWARENESS, TO BE A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL CHANGE, AND TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS’ OWN HOLISTIC WELLBEING.
Through this project we:
> Brought women together. Forming friendships and building support networks so that participants are better able to live with Endometriosis in the future.
> Created beautiful art. Teaching people creative skills and boosting participants’ self-confidence.
> Raised awareness of Endometriosis to help women secure earlier diagnoses. We used art as a means to capture people’s attention. We then shared information about Endometriosis online and in person, with our local community, with healthcare professionals and with women with Endometriosis and those exploring a diagnosis.
WHY ENDOMETRIOSIS?
ENDOMETRIOSIS AFFECTS 10% OF WOMEN FROM PUBERTY TO MENOPAUSE, 1.5 MILLION IN THE UK AND 176 MILLION GLOBALLY.
95% REPORT ENDOMETRIOSIS IMPACTING THEIR WELLBEING NEGATIVELY OR VERY NEGATIVELY.
THE AVERAGE TIME FOR DIAGNOSIS IS 8 YEARS, DESPITE 58% OF WOMEN PRESENTING WITH SYMPTOMS TO THEIR GP TEN OR MORE TIMES, 53% AT A&E, AND 21% SEEING DOCTORS IN HOSPITAL 10 OR MORE TIMES.
Source: All Party Parliamentary Group report on Endometriosis 2020
“YOUR WHOLE BODY GOES THROUGH SO MUCH AND FOR ME IT LED TO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT MY BODY THAT BECAME DETRIMENTAL TO MY MENTAL-HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
ENDOMETRIOSIS IS A WHOLE-BODY DISEASE, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY, SO I WANTED TO CREATE A PROJECT WHICH REPRESENTED THAT. BY DELIVERING THIS PROJECT MYSELF AS AN ARTIST AND PAINTING A GROUP OF WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN ON A SIMILAR JOURNEY AND SEEING THEM TRANSFORM WAS EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED”
– Emily Wood (Artistic Director)
ENDOMETRIOSIS IS NOT AN INFECTION
ENDOMETRIOSIS IS NOT CONTAGIOUS
ENDOMETRIOSIS IS NOT CANCER
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METAMORPHOSIS
Endomorphosis is part of our ongoing research and development project into body painting called Metamorphosis. From studying the art form across the globe from its ancient roots and modern cultural forms, to how the body painting can become a tool for wellbeing and empowerment.
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This project is funded by:
