Equality in Every Stroke: Celebrating Carers Through Art

This past Carers’ Week (June 9-15, 2025), the V&A was proud to shine a light on the invaluable contributions of carers, recognising their vital role for individuals and society.

With this year’s theme of equality for carers, our Carer Support Group invited staff to share artwork that spoke to the importance of fairness, recognition, and support for those who dedicate themselves to caring for others.

We were deeply moved by the thoughtful and diverse submissions, which offered poignant insights into the multifaceted experiences of carers. From heartfelt music to evocative sculptures, these pieces beautifully articulate the emotional landscapes, challenges, and profound connections inherent in caregiving.

Here are some of the remarkable contributions from our talented V&A staff:

Lost & Found by Paul Claxton

This soul-stirring song blends acoustic intimacy with vintage folk-pop textures, delving into the complexities of love, loss, and emotional reckoning. While a lament on heartbreak, ‘Lost & Found’ beautifully captures the enduring romance, magic, and fondness felt during a memorable relationship. This profound exploration of emotional landscapes resonates with the theme of equality for carers by highlighting the often unseen and deeply personal emotional journeys undertaken by those who dedicate themselves to caring for others. The recognition of such intricate emotional experiences is a vital step towards a fairer world, acknowledging the full humanity and needs of carers, both in their triumphs and their moments of loss.

We See by John Mangal

This raw and powerful pen drawing was created using pure emotion, with no preconceptions or ideas—just the spontaneous flow of the pen on paper.

Origami Porcelain by Banu Bal

This folded porcelain piece is inspired by the strength and grace of caregiving: delicate yet resilient, each fold a gesture of devotion. Just as carers shape lives with patience and love, these forms are shaped with intention, honouring the quiet artistry of care.

Lady Lola Lala by Naj Shirazi

This striking sculpture (160cm x 66cm x 30cm, steel and vegan leather) transforms a familiar object into a powerful statement. A chair, in many ways, is a quiet expression of care: it holds, supports, and waits. But when that chair takes the form of a woman, with lips, eyes, and presence, it begins to speak. It points to a long history where women’s bodies have been shaped not just by biology but by expectation: to nurture, to comfort, to carry.

Lady Lola Lala honours care as something powerful and essential but also asks us to look again. Care has too often been treated as a woman’s role, something assumed rather than chosen. As Adrienne Rich argued, caregiving has been institutionalised and feminised, rather than seen as a shared human responsibility. This work reclaims that story. The chair offers rest, but it also watches. It resists the silence that so often surrounds those who support others. It remembers the labour—physical, emotional, and historic—that care demands.

Caring from a Distance submitted by Flora Rogers

These two miniature paintings by Despina Masmanidou beautifully symbolise the themes of connection, care, and distance in caregiving. The doorway and pot evoke a sense of home and the threshold between presence and absence—mirroring the journey of caring from afar, as her daughter, Efi, has done for her mother across countries. The seagull flying above a boat represents both freedom and the emotional waves of separation, much like the experience of long-distance caregiving. These images reflect the deep bonds between carers and their loved ones, even across vast distances.

Light, Shapes & Shadows by Mehmet Kavaz

Mehmet’s photography delves into the interplay of light, shapes, and shadows, seeking to capture either the purest essence or a distorted and alternate vision of the world. Through the lens of Equality for Carers, Mehmet’s work encourages us to consider different perspectives. Just as light can reveal new facets, and shadows can obscure, this piece reminds us of the importance of shedding light on the often-unseen work of carers, ensuring their contributions are fully recognised and valued for a truly equitable society.

The art displayed during Carers Week powerfully tells the stories of carers – their dedication, resilience, and the deep emotional journeys they’ve been on. Our hope is that this showcase helps everyone better understand carers and encourages ongoing support for them.