Chronic pain is a complex and subjective experience found within a wide range of conditions. Research shows that both psychological and sociological factors can alter felt physical pain and can be unknowingly influenced by external factors, like the weather or relationships. The difficulty of this experience is heightened by the inaccessibility to communicate the total extent and complexity of the experience.

Although arts-based, health communication research is progressing, little has been carried out that combines particular arts-based methods, and which specifically focuses on chronic pain experience.

This exhibition is a part of a wider research study led by Ulster University, PhD Researcher Niamh McConaghy. Participants are from both the University of Atypical and the charity Versus Arthritis, and all experience chronic pain in one form or another. The artwork shown in this exhibition is created in response to both the experienced psychosocial pain experience and visually documented pain experience over a two week period. This work investigates if a combination of language (through poetry) and visual art can articulate a more comprehensive way to communicate chronic pain, that is reflective of the total pain experience.