Cultivating spaces for extraordinary artists
DASH Commission at Compton Verney - 5 New Films exploring Grace Currie and Elizabeth Allen
DASH and Compton Verney have commissioned 5 new films exploring the relationship between the home-based creative practices of Elizabeth Allen (1883-1967) and contemporary visual artist Grace Currie whose new artwork, Potions For My Animated Life is being screened as part of a group show, Troublemakers and Prophets: Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists at Compton Verney, Warwickshire (28 March - 31 August).
DASH and Compton Verney collaborated on the pilot of Home Based Situated Practice (HBSP) - a residency and commissioning programme with mentorship support conceived and delivered by DASH to nurture, mentor and platform artists who work from home or at a studio space nearby to home.
DASH and Compton Verney have commissioned 5 short films by West Midlands based filmmaker Robert Alexander that provide an introductory overview of the collaboration between DASH and Compton Verney on the pilot HBSP programme; an exhibition walkthrough of Troublemakers and Prophets: Elizabeth Allen and Other Visionary Artists; two spotlight films on textile works by Elizabeth Allen and a spotlight film on Grace Currie’s new commission, Potions For My Animated Life.
Potions For my Animated Life is displayed in the second of three rooms of the exhibition which was thematically called 'The End of Nowhere.' The film is shown on a loop for the duration of the exhibition and visitors are offered comfortable bespoke seating designed for the show with headphones to hear Grace narrate her film in the first person.
Exhibition Content Warning
Some works touch on themes of sexism, hospitalisation, pain, and medical and psychological trauma. The exhibition includes references to pregnancy loss, sexual and domestic abuse and includes racist imagery.
Introduction film (5 mins 43)
Exhibition walkthrough film (5 mins 45)
Spotlight on Elizabeth Allen’s Alice in Jungle-Land (2 mins 25)
Spotlight on Elizabeth Allen’s Population Explosion (2 mins 51)
Spotlight on Grace Currie’s Potions For My Animated Life (2 mins 46)
Filmmaker: Robert Alexander.
Audio Description consultancy: Karren Visser
The films have captions and integrated audio description. We are working on releasing a version of each film with BSL interpretation and these will be released late Summer 2026.
View Images taken of Potions For My Animated Life installed at Compton Verney as well as some images taken from the private view launch event held on 26 March 2026.
The interpretation films were commissioned by DASH and Compton Verney and generously supported using public funding by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and Compton Verney.
Grace Currie Magic Artist: Potions For My Animated Life has been commissioned by DASH and Compton Verney and generously supported using public funding by Arts Council England, the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and Compton Verney.