Museum of Me puts ordinary people in the spotlight
THE lives of ordinary people who have contributed to their community are being put in the spotlight. The Museum of Me has now opened in Coventry.
Each day, a different person from Cheylesmore will get the chance to present their own individual museum made with, for and all about them.
The residents taking part are just normal people who sometimes go unnoticed in the world around them but make contributions to society and deserve to be praised for their efforts.
Director, of the museum Paul O’donnell who is from Cheylesmore, said he was inspired by what a museum about the present could look like. ‘’Normal museums are a thing of the past and tell a story of yesteryear,” he said.
In his artistic practice, Paul says that he is always taking well-known things such as musicals or mime artists and working out how to alter them or change them in some way to tell a different story.
“I started thinking about museums and what is it about museums that I don’t really like.”
Growing up in Cheylsmore, Paul wanted to bring the museum back to his hometown. He added: ‘’It’s a real vibrant place full of lots of different people from lots of different backgrounds. It was fun to bring something I had created back home.’’
This is the second iteration of the museum, after last time’s success.
The museums will be presented on the grounds of Cheylesmore Social Club in a unique wall-less museum and all activities will be free to attend. Each museum will have a special, personalised, official opening at 10.15 am, complete with a red ribbon to cut, canapes and a drinks reception. It’s open daily from 10am to 7pm.
Who are the individuals taking part?
Ashley James Brown, Thursday, May 18.
Ashley is a fierce creative with a will to unlock what the hell’s possible. He is known in Cheylesmore as a charismatic (and chatty!) neighbour who has used his tech-related talents to support sports teams, local businesses, friends and family. Ashley is excited to see the stories and objects come together and he hopes they might spark conversations and unlock memories in other residents too!
Fraser Campbell Friday, May 19. Fraser Campbell is a man who is not afraid of commitment. He finds something he likes and sticks with it. He likes his day job, he likes writing a diary, he likes going to festivals, and he loves his girlfriend and his invisible dog. Yousef Hijaz, Saturday, May 20. At thirteen years old, Yousef sees the world in full colour. He has spent half of his life in Palestine and almost half of his life in the UK - in both countries he plays in goal. Yousef’s fizzling energy and philosophical mind have served him well on the football pitch, at the chess table, in front of the camera, on the Xbox, in the kitchen and in the garden.
Caroline Sinclair Sunday, May 2. At work, Caroline is a resilient fundraiser for Ronald Macdonald House Charities UK whilst also helping to run Cheylesmore Food Hub, which she set up. She also finds time to volunteer at music festivals throughout her summer, without forgetting trips away to explore other countries in their own languages.
Next week will feature Sandra Brownbridge, Mehru Fitter MBE, Rebecca Bailey, Danny Ward and twins Heath and Olly Martin. On Monday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 23 there will also be a special event called the Gallery of Us where artwork by the students of Manor Park Primary School will be on display.