Fourth edition, 2 June 2020

Lockdown partner, Michael Clarke, care leaver and activist shares his vision.

In this film, the final of three, Mike talks about his relationship with his cat Mr Whiskers: “He is definitely aware that there is a lot of chaos in the world right now…” 

Covid-19 foregrounds a truth for us: that we humans are a species among others in this world, subject to and living in the natural environment; we carry vulnerabilities and can hold  trauma caused by instability or transition. So… shielding, guardianship of the world, love of nature and partnerships – including with cats –  become essential.

Portable Studio 

These films are excerpts from a video conversation during lockdown with Michael Clarke who is a care leaver and activist living in London. It is part of a collaboration between Mike, social worker Tim Fisher and artist Trevor Appleson. It is a continuation of Trevor’s work Portable Studio.

Portable Studio started life as an archive document of contemporary British youth culture, made in collaboration with a selection of the young people Appleson met and photographed on the streets of Birmingham for a commission at The Midlands Arts Center in 2015.

Inspired by the way identities are curated online, Portable Studio explores youth identity and experience in an attempt to preserve evidence of a socio-digital landscape that would otherwise pass without physical record.

Michael Clarke, social worker Tim Fisher and artist Trevor Appleson