Celebrities 'Take a Moment' for Mind in interactive virtual exhibition
Over 250 celebrities photographed by Ray Burmiston, including Britains Got Talent, Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing stars, are part of the virtual exhibition, raising both awareness and vital funds for Mind.
The collection has been curated from a decade of outtakes and never before seen photographs from Ray's studio, where he asks his subjects to close their eyes for a few seconds, to refresh their connection with the camera, capturing powerful moments of self-reflection.
Over 250 well known personalities have endorsed the use of their pictures, including Mind's President Stephen Fry, Ambassadors Fearne Cotton and Frankie Bridge as well as a host of other famous faces including Kylie Minogue, Idris Elba, Dermott O'Leary and Holly Willoughby.
Members of the public are also encouraged to become "part of the art" by donating £3 and uploading their own image, with their eyes closed, to the website; and, for those wanting to keep a piece of the exhibition at home, there is also the option to purchase portraits from the exhibition.
Ray Burmiston, photographer and curator of Take a Moment, said:
"The exhibition has been created from decades of outtakes from the studio and hundreds of moments where I asked my subjects to close their eyes for a few seconds, to refresh their connection with the camera.
"I found that these images had an atmosphere quite different from the purpose of the shoot, capturing powerful images of self-reflection, and now, people at home can become part of the exhibition. The organically evolving artform literally draws people in and I hope this will raise much needed funds for Mind."
The celebrity photos will be displayed on the Take a Moment website alongside those uploaded by the public to create an evolving virtual exhibition and will remain open to the public until December.
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind, said:
"We know that the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has been difficult for people across England and Wales.
"Mind's research shows that two out of three adults with mental health problems said that their mental health had worsened during lockdown. With fundraising impacted by the pandemic and an increase in demand for our services, donations have never been more crucial to ensure we can continue to be there for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
"We are incredibly grateful to Ray for choosing to support us in this way, and to all those who donate to Mind through this exciting initiative."
To get involved and join the "Take a Moment" movement, visit the Take a Moment website.
