How to Swim on Land

Louie Lee and Caroline Wright

How to Swim on Land explores the unique relationship that people living with neuromuscular diseases have with water. As being in water can enable a freedom of movement that is not always possible on land, the project will look at differences in movement in, and out of water through a series of creative workshops, including a group swim.

It will also investigate whether being in water could be used to assist in problem solving, innovation and different ways of thinking about the world. As well as co-creating an artwork, the workshops will also be an opportunity for people to meet others facing similar challenges, but with differing life experiences.

Caroline Wright is an artist with a particular interest in water, breath, the body, and sound. In her practice she investigates ideas through material investigation and experience realising her work in live performance, drawings, texts, and installations that are often site responsive. She believes in the importance of co-working and collaboration to enable artwork to embody meaning and value for communities. Recent commissions include projects for The Judge Business School, Cambridge University, Breath Control, a multi-faceted project shown at The Coronet Theatre London and for Cambridge Science Festival at Cambridge Junction and Out of Water, a performance for London 2012, PSi 19, San Francisco, USA, and Edinburgh Festival.

Louie Lee is a mixed methods researcher with a background in neurological physiotherapy, implementation science, and knowledge mobilisation. His research is focussed on rehabilitation approaches that support people to live well with neuromuscular diseases. Louie’s research has a strong ethos of co-design and participatory methods, and the cornerstone of his work has been an exploration of the lived experience of people who live with neuromuscular diseases and how they manage the complex physical and psychological challenges they encounter in their daily lives. This exploratory work has laid the foundation for several research studies, public engagement projects, and has been the underpinning of Louie’s clinical practice.