Rachel is the founder and director of Boom Saloon
And will be speaking about 4,4,4&2 – Print as an evolving vessel
Abour Rachel’s talk
A world-first design innovation, 4,4,4&2, is a publication printed using disappearing ink to reflect the cognitive decline of those living with dementia. The publication forces us to reframe our understanding of books as static objects, and instead positions them as temporal, evolving vessels for experience and increasing empathy and understanding of other.
The outcome of multiple years of research and co-design, 4,4,4&2 is a deeply researched, materially innovative intervention that reimagines what a book can be. Drawing upon years of collaborative work with people with dementia, the boom saloon team partnered with Maggie Watson, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia in 2021, to co-create a ‘living cookbook.’
Each copy is printed with an innovative disappearing ink that fades over time – uniquely in each individual book – mirroring the highly personal and unpredictable patterns of memory loss which can be experienced during the dementia journey. The pages include recipes, personal artefacts, and sensory stories from Maggie’s life – each potentially warping, fading and jumbling in its own way, just as memories can.
About Rachel
Rachel Arthur is the Founder and Editor of boom saloon, an independent publisher dedicated to democratising creativity for good. boom saloon publishes books and magazines, both in-house and for clients, which explore the connection between the arts and social change. Profits from these fund further publications, made in collaboration with people facing complex personal challenges such as substance misuse, forced displacement, homelessness and dementia. In this way, they use paper and ink to drive positive social change.
Connect with Rachel
LinkedIn: Rachel Arthur
Web: Boom Saloon