The voices of young people leaving care demand to be heard according to Award-winning Manchester author and broadcaster Lemn Sissay – and his new ground-breaking project is ensuring they are.
The Salander Project is the creation of Sissay, in collaboration with young people in care or who have been in care.
The public artwork is being showcased in the heart of The Roundhouse in Camden, London and
is the sixth experience commissioned by Fuel where each performance or installation has been created in a garden shed.
One person at a time walks into the darkened surroundings and ‘click’, the door shuts behind and the journey begins into the inner world of Salander: an installation where words perform.
Poems written by young people in care or care leavers under the age of 25 hang from the ceiling and come to life to the soundtrack of Gorecki’s Symphony No.3 Op.36, inspired by the words of a girl written on the walls of a Gestapo cell- ‘It’s just you and them. Shine your light and they will shine.’
Sissay, whose poems can be found decorating the streets and buildings of Manchester, expressed how crucial it was for the young voices to be heard through the project.
“I was inspired to do this because I don’t believe that you can give young people a voice, I believe they already have voices- they are already articulate, so this is about making people listen,” the poet told MM.
“The question that is raised is to do with listening. We need to learn to listen and ask ourselves- how do you listen to the truth of young people in care?
“Their self-expression is already there waiting to be heard and it needs to have an outlet to allow the power of their voices to shine through.”
It is named after Lisbeth Salander – the dark heroine of The Millennium Series who was an orphan and Sissay can relate to fictional character as he himself was a care leaver.
“It could have been named after other fictional characters such as Superman who was adopted, Harry Potter or Cinderella who was fostered, or James Bond who was an orphan but it was Lisabeth’s story which really moved me,” the official poet of the 2012 London Olympics said.
“She lived her entire life within the system, institutionalised and no-one listened.
“She was a victim and a child in need of care. Instead she was abused within the system and her voice wasn’t heard, they choose not to listen and instead ignored her.
The Mancunian poet believes that people will be deeply moved by what they experience in The Roundhouse and has been amazed with the work produced by the young people who have contributed.
“The shed is at the epicentre of the building and voices echo around the space in the strangest way, it really is a unique experience” he said.
“Hanging from the ceiling will be images and poems and it is such a personal experience as it is one door. One torch. One room. One audience.
“The work that has been written just jumps off the page at you. They are so much more than simply words placed on a page because the young people’s voice screams out at you. The voice that wants to be heard. The voice that needs to be heard. And here now, will be heard.”
The performance is being held at The Roundhouse in Camden, London from Friday November 29 to Sunday December 1.
For updates about Lemn Sissay’s work and performances visit: http://lemnsissay.com/
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