My background is in clinical medicine, followed by the medical humanities. I now work as a medical editor.
This blog stemmed from my passion for the arts, and a desire to explore how illness and the arts might intersect and interact, or not. After the first few initial posts, however, I realised that limiting the content to ‘illness’ constrained what I wanted to talk about, and I changed the name of the blog to ‘Suffering and the Arts’. For me, suffering – not in a penitential or necessarily negative sense – is an intrinsic component of life, an acceptance of which may even enrich the experience of living.
This blog thus explores some of the spaces where the human condition – illness, suffering, and much more – and the arts seek to connect.
very nice writing yert again Columba. I will try to go to this show in Kent. Thanks. Lily
Thanks Lily!!
Cx
Hi Columba,
I was just looking at the line-up for the symposium in UCC next weekend and saw your link to this blog. Very interesting I have to say! If I manage to get a place for the event I look forward to hearing you speak.
All the very best,
Orlagh O’Brien
http://www.emotionallyvague.wordpress.com
Thanks Orlagh! Hope to see you in Cork…
Very best
CQ
I love your blog. At Headway Totton (a Brain Injury Day centre) we believe that art touches the spirit and can provide an anchor to those drifting as a result of the impact of brain injuries. We drink tea and eat biscuits every Tuesday and let the biscuits inspire our poetry. Please take a look at our biscuit poetry, we are close to 100 pieces and there are still many more biscuits to munch our way through! http://biscuitpoetry.blogspot.co.uk
Hi Jo
Thanks so much for this. I just love the concept of biscuit poetry, genius! Looking forward to my weekly email updates!
I am about to start a facebook page for my blog and will definitely highlight your site there.
Columba
This is a really interesting blog … just discovered it and look forward to continued reading.
Many thanks Laura!
C
Thanks. Pleased to have found your fascinating blog. Lots of food for thought. Regards from Thom at the immortal jukebox (give it a spin!)
Thanks Thom! I have checked out your blog too, and loved it! I am sure I signed up to follow, but will double check…
C
Good evening Columba,
Much food for thought, esp. with relation to our own research project (Life of Breath – find our blog here: http://lifeofbreath.org/index.php/category/blog/). Glad to find a fellow Jennifer Johnston fan.
Yours, Jess
Thanks Jess! Life of Breath project sounds fascinating – aware of it from a distance. Sorry to miss Medicine Unboxed this year…
We have lots or irons in lots of fires! Maybe you’d like to write a guest post for us sometime?
I would be delighted to!
Brilliant! You can get me on epjpd(at)bristol.ac.uk; I’ll send you the blog post pro forma and we can work out a suitable topic :-)