How can you, as a creator, artist, designer, architect, researcher, or thinker, respond with empathy and understanding to the complex context of palliative care? And what does it mean to design for a life that is ending? For one week, 10 art and design students from LUCA School of Arts, along with researchers Niels Hendriks, Andrea Wilkinson, and Britt Pellens from "Caring. and Design Research," tackled these questions during the Master's elective "Care in Crisis" at Westmalle Abbey.

Under the guidance of the researchers, students explored ways to integrate grief and mourning into everyday life or to find a way to reflect, together with a person requiring palliative care, on the role of a loved one in their life, even after death. The paintings, funeral meals, jewelry, farewell and memorial rituals, and more were presented during a closing presentation at the end of the week in the Abbey garden. Thanks to the support of PHA (Palliative Care Antwerp), Liesbeth Muermans (Ontmoet-jezelf), Marije De Haas (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences), and Karen Wuytens (PXL x MAD), the students were guided through their research and creative process.

Questions about 'Care in Crisis' or our other projects, or would you like to collaborate?

Contact us at britt.pellens@luca-arts.be