As part of Who Needs Flowers When They’re Dead?, exhibiting artist Emily Simpson invites people who have experienced grief to join them for a workshop centred around a communal ritual of preservation – making pickles. As we chop vegetables and prepare pickle jars together, there will be moments for reflection and conversation about grief. Pickling becomes a metaphor for the magical thinking of grief – how we carry people forward with us as we learn to live with loss.

The aim is to find connection, explore grief literacy, and create a space where those living with loss can feel less alone. This workshop forms part of Emily’s artwork in the exhibition; a patchwork tablecloth and place setting for shared conversations.

The work is inspired by Emily’s experience of tending to their Dad’s allotment after his death. It speaks to the magical thinking of grief, how loss evolves, takes root in the landscape, and to a wider sense of ecological grief in our collective disconnection from nature.

Please note:

Places are limited to 8 participants so please only book if you are certain you can attend. Likewise, please get in touch if you can no longer come, so we can offer your place to someone else.

Please be Aware:

– This workshop is for anyone who has experienced grief and is ready to talk about it, or anyone who is interested in learning more about it.

– The session will focus on our experience of grief and living with loss rather than the details of a person’s death. This is to avoid more distressing subject matter.

– Whilst Emily is an experienced facilitator in this subject, they are not a trained counsellor.

– Participants are invited to be respectful and sensitive towards other people and their experiences. We recognise that taking part in an event like this requires people to be vulnerable and so participants are asked to be mindful of this and considerate of each other’s boundaries and the different stages of grief we may be in.

– The workshop aims to create a positive and affirming space. However, we recognise that it may bring up difficult emotions. Please create space for any thoughts and feelings to settle after your visit. Make time to; go for a walk, drink your favourite tea, cook something comforting, listen to your favourite song, sit by a tree. Please be gentle with yourself