An art exhibition alongside a series of free public events, showcasing responses to the experience of romantic heartbreak, relationship breakdown, and survival strategies in the aftermath of romantic endings.

OVADA gallery in central Oxford will host an exhibition of work by artists from a range of backgrounds reflecting and responding to contemporary experiences of heartbreak. An open call for both emerging and established artists runs until 21 September, with the exhibition and events open to the public from 8 - 18 October.

After Love: Broken Hearts & Broken Bodies is part of a major project by historian Dr Sally Holloway, which charts the evolution of romantic heartbreak as an embodied emotional experience over four centuries of history.

From paintings, sculptures, drawings and expert talks to artist-led body mapping workshops and poetry events, the event will chart the myriad of emotions involved in experiences of romantic heartbreak, and how it impacts upon our health and wellbeing. Audiences can attend a series of free events including expert talks, poetry with Ana Sampson, body mapping workshops with artists Jill Mueller and Julie Light and poetry on prescription from The Poetry Pharmacy and a poetry workshop led by Oxford Poetry Library.

The project partners with a range of organisations including the mental health charity Oxfordshire Mind; the Oxford Visual Arts Development Agency (OVADA); award-winning visual artists Jill Mueller and Julie Light and the Poetry Pharmacy. It is funded from 2023-7 by a Research, Development and Engagement Fellowship from the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

The opening week of the exhibition is timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10th October, reflecting the many impacts of heartbreak on our mental and emotional health.

Ultimately, After Love urges us to think critically and creatively about what it means to be broken hearted in the modern age.

Please see our website for event details
https://www.ovada.org.uk/afterloveexhibi...