Alertism - Dean Reddick

Welcome to the Alertism exhibition, featuring artistic and literary works that were inspired by the Emergency Alert test message that was sent to people with a mobile device on Sunday 23rd April at 3pm.

Dean Reddick is one of the founding members of CollectConnect, a keen birdwatcher and sculptor of our feathered friends. His avian related public art exhibitions include ConnectConnect's 24 hour-a-day art trail sensation Hidebird. For the 2012 exhibition he built a bird hide on a suburban Walthamstow street, but with the birds inhabiting the inside of the hide, and us humans on the outside. Dean's First Responder is Jo Lansdown, see her response below. One of the themes of Jo's response has emerged in other submissions too. The idea that if we are constantly on full alert then a further escalation can result in a different outcome (than anticipated). 

First Responder: Jo Lansdown

Thing is I can’t respond. I’m on full alert already all of the time and have been for months. My head is saying have you (me) got any space to respond? and then it’s asking is this another ‘attack’? Will just the simple act (well it used to be simple) of reading something, allowing it to penetrate a little way into my being, and then feeling my way into my various responses add to the maelstrom that’s in my head (and body) right now? And can I allow that to happen? And the answer is that I can’t.

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Dean Reddick has also created a sculpture to go alongside his words. The First Responder, Jo Lansdown, didn't view this before she sent us her response, but we wanted to share this with you now.

Dean Reddick is an artist and an art therapist. He frequently works with casting process and loves drawing trees. https://deanreddick.blogspot.com/

Jo Lansdown has contributed to two CollectConnect exhibitions before. In 2016 her words were included on a Relationship Map that was exhibited at Middlesex University for Mental Health Awareness Week. In the same year, sent a postcard to her future self as part of the exhibition of the same name. She received her postcard in November 2021 (hopefully it didn't get lost in the post).