Abstract

As part of my MA in Academic Practice at UAL, my research explores whether jewellery and related objects can support wellbeing, particularly in relation to pain. Through semi-structured interviews with individuals experiencing chronic pain, I investigate attachment to objects and their potential for support, The project involves designing individually made pieces with the participant to explore their impact on wellbeing and whether pieces can be made to add reassurance or aid wellbeing. Findings may be shared through exhibitions, academic publications, and conferences, bridging artistic practice with research on pain, belief systems, and the emotional significance of jewellery/wearables.

Session and activities

I’d like to share my research and practice, Wellbeing Through Objects, in a Lightning Talk (5 mins + 5 mins discussion) as part of the MA in Academic Practice at UAL. This session will share insights from my work, raise awareness of chronic pain conditions, and spark meaningful conversation around practice-led research, materiality, and our emotional connections to objects.

 

The presentation will begin with the background of my research, including my personal experience of living with chronic pain. This profoundly influenced my artistic practice, which became increasingly autobiographical—centred on the attachments we form with objects and their potential to offer comfort and reassurance.

 

This sparked the core question at the heart of my current study: Can crafted, individualised objects support the wellbeing of those living with chronic pain?

 

Historically, jewellery and objects have held talismanic power (Pliny the Elder, 79 AD), yet today, their potential for supporting wellbeing remains underexplored. Psychological research underscores the impact of mindset and belief on health (Leader & Corfield, 2008; Winnicott, 1965), while chronic pain continues to have a significant impact on quality of life (Scarry, 1985; Melzack & Wall, 1998).

 

In this research, I’m working with 5–10 participants to create personalised jewellery or related objects. Using qualitative methods—including semi-structured interviews and a reflexive, ethical approach—I explore themes of preciousness, identity, and lived experience. These resulting objects, designed as modern-day amulets, will be gifted to the participants and exhibited alongside anonymous narrative insights.

 

With over 28 million people in the UK living with chronic pain (Pain UK), this research aims to contribute to a broader understanding of how material objects might offer emotional support—and whether contemporary jewellery can become a medium for care, connection, and hope.