Linking Communities to the Stars

CREATOR:

Aidan Shingler was born in London and now lives in Derbyshire. He is married to dancer, writer, Tricia Durdey. He has worked as an artist, writer and activist for almost four decades. He conceived and organised the Kissit!XX Campaign – a series of national protests to expose human rights violations in the psychiatric system. He co-authored On the Receiving End which was published to highlight the emotional and psychological impact of psychiatric assault and call for radical reform of the mental health system. His art questions and challenges common preconceptions and misconceptions, inviting all to see the world anew.

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Aidan Shingler's art is included in permanent collections:
■ Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art 
■ The University of Nottingham, School of Medicine
■ County Hall, Derbyshire
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       1962 aged four: I sat in the back of a small transit van driven by Roy White, a warm hearted Caribbean painter and decorator and family friend. We were travelling through Dartmoor during the hours of darkness in the vicinity of Tavistock where my parents, having moved from London, had recently set up home. At some point during our journey my companion glanced up at the night sky and exclaimed:
 
“Look Aidan! Look up at the stars!”
 
I gazed skyward and was immediately entranced; awed by the dazzling beauty of starlight witnessed for the very first time.. I deluged Roy with a series of ‘whys?’ His patient answers awakened a wide-eyed child’s imagination and triggered a lifelong quest to understand humanity’s place amongst the stars.                  
 
Roy switched on the radio and was thrilled to find he'd tuned directly into the unforgettable sound of The Tornado’s newly released 45rpm single ‘Telstar’. It was explained that the music had a connection with our conversation and the sparkling diamonds in the sky, and I experienced yet another first – synchronicity.
 
Throughout my life I have been enchanted by the mystery and magic of the stars. My interest in the stars lies with our emotional response to them - their power to ignite our imagination and sense of wonder. The inspiration for StarDisc stems from a vision to create environments where people from all walks of life can gather, contemplate and connect with whatever resides beyond the sphere of our world. ​I describe StarDisc as a temple without walls. I envisage the sparkling stars as celestial neurons ablaze with intelligence, illuminating the universal mind . . . the Mind of God."
 
I hope that StarDisc will intrigue and fascinate future generations in the same way that we too are captivated by the ancient stone circles our ancestors built.

​​Aidan Shingler 2011

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PSYCHE: The visionary potential of unusual states of consciousness.

​PSYCHE is Aidan Shingler's mind-blowing account of the visionary potential of unusual states of consciousness. One person in every hundred is diagnosed schizophrenic. With striking imagery and compelling narrative, the author explores the spiritual and creative aspects of schizophrenia; the way people so labelled are treated by the psychiatric system, and how the senses of those experiencing psychosis are opened to paranormal stimuli. The book validates ‘Psyche-sensitivity’ as evidence of humankind evolving before us, here and now, and emphasises its positive and transforming potential. 

Click here to buy PSYCHE
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​Reviews: 
“A shaft of light into the darkness”  Arts Journal
“Inexplicably beautiful”  The Guardian
“Sharp, witty and in places very funny”  Northern Review
“Beyond categorisation”  Artesian
​“Sheer brilliance”  Mail-Out

Price: £15.00 
First published in 2016 by Thorntree Press 
ISBN  978-1-9538821-9-6
Paper pack/perfect bound
40 original colour images

'This work and the manner of its presentation afford an alternative world view. The reader is taken on a remarkable guided tour of the author's life and philosophy. The combination of text and images is beautifully structured and paced. Through joy, sadness and laughter Aidan Shingler validates the human spirit and encourages us all to strive to become 'Reality Testers.'  Prof. Philip Barker 
 
'By accentuating the positive aspects of schizophrenia, Aidan Shingler restores dignity and wonder to worlds we disregard at our peril. Whilst this book will be a delight for anyone, it should be on the introductory book list of every person embarking on a career in the mental health field.'  Dr. Langley Brown
 
'This is a book of our times, one that offers hope, inspiration, and discovery; by unleashing the potency of the mind and its creative potential when freed from the personal boundaries and frames of reference the majority of us create for ourselves. It is an important book not solely because it deals with Aidan Shingler’s personal journey and reality (his adventure) but because it offers a better understanding of how to explore the many facets of mental health. By examining schizophrenia through art and writing, Aidan Shingler offers ideas of how, through self-expression, people can lead a more self-aware and authentic life, and thereby experience greater fulfilment, purpose and meaning. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to celebrate humanity and cognitive diversity, who chooses to accept themselves, embrace difference and transcend the mediocrity of the everyday in order to gain an enriched reality.'  Freewind