SELF-CARE BLANKET WORKSHOPS 照顧自己毛毯 Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Feb–May 2025)

When Frankie Fathers was invited to be an artist-in-residence at Pier-2 Art Centre in southern Taiwan, she worked with unpaid carers to create collective textile artworks called “self-care blankets.”

The artist’s lived experience of caring for her father, Michael, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, has lead to her art becoming deeply personal as she navigate the emotional complexities of caring for a loved one whose memory and identity are fading. The act of making has become a way for the artist to articulate the frustration and helplessness she experiences as a caregiver, and the Pier 2 residency was a way for her to experiment with sharing this coping mechanism by collaborating with other carers and charities in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s ageing population and strong Confucian family traditions—where women often carry the care burden—made this a rich but delicate place to explore themes of care, grief, and looking after yourself.

The artist, who speaks Mandarin and spent nine years as a documentary filmmaker in China connected with the Kaohsiung Association of Family Carers and the city’s Women’s Centre to find participants and collaborators. Both organisations helped spread the word, and each workshop welcomed about 25 carers, with many coming back for the second session. The workshops were free and ticketed on Accupass.

Workshop 1: Building Trust

The artist asked carers to bring a piece of clothing from the person they care for. They sat in a circle and took turns introducing themselves and sharing their caregiving stories. Frankie started by talking about her dad Michael —showing his ties and opening up about the mix of conflicted emotions she felt caring for him: frustration, guilt, love. Once she was honest, others began to open up too. There were tears, laughter, and real connection. The session ended up running an hour over time.

To close, the carers wrote responses together to the question, “How do you feel caring for your parents?” on a shirt belonging to the artist’s father. It was a gentle way to lift the mood and bring everyone into the creative process.

Workshop 2: Collective Creation

By the second workshop, people were greeting each other warmly, already feeling more comfortable. Two long tables with blankets were stretched out, and groups of ten worked side by side. Each person added something to the blankets that represented how they practice self-care. Being so close encouraged laughter, conversations, and mutual support.

A volunteer from the carers’ association was there too, ready to talk to new participants about the support and services available to them. This made the workshop both a creative space and a place for practical help.

Finally, the artist wanted to make sure these blankets wouldn’t just be shown once and then forgotten. The Carers Association agreed to display them permanently in their office—a powerful way to honour the carers and their stories, who often feel overlooked.