Level Press: Abbas Zahedi and Rabiah Mali Resources
/In 2019 OOMK worked with Bethlem Gallery and artists Sahra Hersi and Rosalie Schweiker to set up Level Press onsite at the hospital gallery. The commission was part Mental Health and Justice, a multi-disciplinary research initiative, funded by the Wellcome Trust, addressing a cluster of public policy challenges that arise at the complex interface where mental health and mental healthcare interact with principles of human rights. The intention of Level Press was to support and encourage people at the hospital to self publish and to allow patients and clinicians to better communicate with each other, we facilitated this through workshops and making a publication with clinicians and patients called A Lexicon of Mental Health, hundreds of copies were distributed widely. We have since been recommissioned to further develop the Risograph press and have done so by supporting two artists, Abbas Zahedi and Rabiah Mali, to develop resources which encourage people to gently try out some interventions aimed at improving well being.
The Perfect Feeling? is a pocket sized set of affirmation cards designed by Abbas Zahedi to help people reflect on their emotions and collect themselves during the day. Abbas Zahedi is a London based artist, known for his interdisciplinary blend of social practice, performance, institution-building and writing. His practice emerged out of working with migrant and marginalised communities in the UK whilst attending psychiatric placements during his training as a medical student.
The Scent of Healing is an illustrated information guide about scents. Written by Rabiah Mali and Illustrated by Rose Nordin, the resource encourages people to reflect on their relationship with scent and consider its healing properties. Rabiah Mali is a musician and herbalist whose work is centred around community healing and women’s health. She runs workshops, retreats and herbal walks throughout the year.
