The Art of Chronic Pain: Creating an Exhibition Proposal on Chronic Pain for a New Zealand Gallery

The original idea for this research came from a combination of the work that Richard Sandell has done on social inclusion in the United Kingdom, and my personal experiences with chronic pain. The aim of this research is to make known the experiences of chronic pain survivors in New Zealand and also to bring understanding about a range of invisible illnesses where chronic pain is a major symptom. Research methods used include surveys using quota sampling and content analysis, case studies, and an exhibition proposal. People living with chronic pain make up one in five New Zealanders, meaning just over 900,000 people have this condition/disability/illness. Yet, have you heard anyone talk about it? Cancer is often spoken about, but it only effects around 20,000 New Zealanders. Mental health problems are contemporaneous but only effect approximately 582,000 people in New Zealand. However chronic pain cannot kill, or can it? Many people who have chronic pain have other co-morbid disorders such as depression. Chronic pain needs more publicity, it yearns to be spoken about and understood. People with chronic pain have said that they feel misunderstood and unheard not only by family, friends and colleagues but also by their medical professionals as well. This research looks at whether there would be support from both the chronic pain community and healthy New Zealanders for an art exhibition about chronic pain. The exhibition would contain art produced by people with chronic pain and depict their daily lives with their condition(s). It also offers a contribution to museum studies and current practice by attending to a gap in the New Zealand literature, not even well covered by overseas literature, on this subject. It is the first dissertation to focus on pain in a museum/gallery setting in New Zealand and opens up public interaction and discussion about a taboo topic. New Zealand museums and galleries have to have the ability to challenge preconceived opinions and ideas about chronic pain, as well as the opportunity to engage with a large and often invisible community.