Safe Spaces with Caroline Clark

Caroline Clark’s exhibition Safe Spaces is currently on at ORTUS gallery in Denmark Hill, London. Bethlem Gallery’s curatorial team organises a seasonal programme of exhibitions with ORTUS, in addition to its own gallery spaces.

This week, we sat down with Caroline to discuss the latest show and the themes of photography and childhood neurodiversity in our everyday lives.  

BG: How did your project Safe Spaces begin?  

CC: My son retreats to a safe space whenever he feels overwhelmed and conversations with other parents of neurodiverse children revealed that many of their children also sought out small, enclosed places to retreat to, such as under beds or in cupboards. These aren’t just dens; they’re places where a child can shut out the world and regain a sense of control, often after a difficult day at school.  

BG: So, what’s your story as an artist and curator of this show?  

CC: As a parent of two autistic children, I belong to several local WhatsApp and support groups. These networks are invaluable: they let families share the realities of home and school life, exchange knowledge, and offer each other emotional support. This community is what made the project possible. 

When I first had the idea, I put out a call on social media, on several SEND WhatsApp groups and I also gave a talk at my local National Autistic Society coffee morning. The response was overwhelming. Parents sent me photographs of their children’s safe spaces, and for a while I was also visiting homes all across London to take photographs. It’s humbling to be trusted with such personal material, and I feel a responsibility to share these stories.   

BG: So, who is this show for? Who would you like to come and why? 

CC: It’s for parents, schools, councils, health professionals, and the education department – anyone who would benefit from a look at the realities of our daily lives.  

BG: How did you select the works for the show? 

CC: Sadly, we couldn’t include every photo, so I chose images that told the story most clearly, plus a few that worked best as a set – like the blanket photos submitted by parents, which are especially powerful seen together. I avoided anything in which a child was recognisable, but the pictures are most affecting when you can sense the child’s presence, such as a glimpse of feet, an arm or a shape beneath a blanket.  

BG: What can we see in the exhibition? 

CC: Photographs that have been taken by parents, children, and by me. Parents often take photos as evidence that their child is struggling and they are some of the most powerful images in the exhibition. Several children have also photographed from inside their own safe spaces and one cabinet is dedicated entirely to beautiful images taken by talented young photographer, Jake, from his tree.  

BG: What’s next for Safe Spaces?  

CC: I’m delighted to be showing this work publicly, thanks to Bethlem Gallery and the Maudsley Charity. Making these private spaces visible matters; it brings the personal stories behind the headlines into view. 

I hope more parents and carers will come forward with their children’s safe spaces so the collection can grow. The more people who take part, the more powerful this body of work will become. 

Find out more and get involved in the project here.