Launching a major exhibition at The Turnpike Gallery, Beyond the Surface celebrates 10 years of Fallen Angels Dance Theatre’s work in Wigan. Showcasing a range of multimedia artworks—from photography to immersive dance, light, and sound installations—the exhibition explores the healing journeys of individuals in recovery. It aims to highlight not only the healing process but also the human experience behind recovery, addressing its significance as a social, health, and cultural issue in celebration of Recoverist Month, which underscores the importance of recovery in our communities.

A standout piece from the exhibition is the newly commissioned work “Samadhi,” an immersive digital light and sound installation created by Fallen Angels Dance Theatre in collaboration with creative technologist Noel Jones. The combination of audio and visuals conveys the healing journeys experienced by individuals in recovery. The title “Samadhi” derives from Sanskrit roots: “sam,” meaning together or integrated, and “dhi,” meaning to hold or to place. Understanding the origins of this piece, along with the immersive visuals, offers both those involved in the creative process and the audience a sense of completeness, stillness, and unity.

The creative visual, soundscape, and digital dance piece is rooted in the real-life experiences of the Fallen Angels Community, incorporating grounding practices like meditation to foster a deeper connection with their bodies. Through digital dance, every movement, stroke, and gesture reflects the journeys of individuals in recovery. This serves as a powerful metaphor for the daily challenges faced by those in recovery, who constantly battle with themselves and the lingering echoes of past addictions. Each day represents a struggle to move forward, with the temptation to regress always lingering in the background.

“12 Images and Words” by Andrew Millar is a collection of photographs that captures the need to feel well and embrace the present moment. By using dance and movement as a balm on the journey of recovery, Millar highlights how expression through motion can lead to true freedom and healing. I particularly appreciate how he utilises the camera—opening the aperture to allow more light and employing slow shutter speeds—to beautifully capture each moment in individuals’ journeys toward a brighter future through their movements within the frame.

This display aims to foster “Creative Conversations” about the relationship between art, addiction, and recovery. Originally showcased at Tate Liverpool in 2019 during the Tate Exchange residency “Art, Addiction and Advocacy,” it was made possible with the support of Dr. Zoe Zontou (Liverpool Hope University) and Dr. Ali Roy (UCLAN).

Utilising a Venn Diagram, these interactive displays invite visitors to explore the thought-provoking questions: “What is art?”, “What is addiction?”, and “What is advocacy?” This approach underscores that there are no definitive answers, emphasising the fluid and evolving nature of these concepts. The diagram highlights how these areas are deeply interconnected, with boundaries that ebb and flow into one another, creating a space for continuous dialogue. It encourages visitors to reflect on how art, addiction, and advocacy intersect and influence one another, sparking an ongoing conversation within society and culture.

The exhibition runs from 25th September to 23rd November, and if you haven’t experienced it yet, I highly recommend you do. Through powerful contemporary visuals, this exhibition illuminates how the arts play a crucial role in the healing journey of those recovering from addiction and substance abuse. By collaborating with contemporary artists, individuals, and communities in recovery, it brings a deeply human face to the path of recovery. The exhibition boldly underscores that addiction does not discriminate, confronting it as a profound health, social, and cultural issue that affects us all.