Muscle Memory in Motion is a new hard-hitting project recording the life of Coventry-based graphic novelist and artist, Al Davison.
Muscle Memory: A Survivor’s Story is the second volume of Davison’s autobiography and a follow-up to the acclaimed first volume, The Spiral Cage, telling the artist’s very personal story. It is a lifelong project exploring body image and the sometimes harrowing experiences of disability hate crime, though it also contains humour and is ultimately optimistic.
While some of the content is challenging for some readers and viewers, the unique and very personal perspective ensures a gripping pace throughout, surfacing many issues often overlooked in other treatments of this difficult subject matter.
Supported by The Space and Unlimited as part of Coventry City of Culture, this online project includes new, hand-drawn artwork with interactive digital elements, plus behind-the-scenes insights about how the project was created. A specially commissioned website has been adapted to be as accessible as possible to all users, with ‘branches’ of interconnected memories recreated as drawings, animation, and audio.
The whole project and all current chapters of the novel can be viewed at www.al-davison.com
Al Davison, 62, has been renowned as a creator of graphic novels for decades with a significant national and international following, and he still works in his studio at the city’s FarGo Village where he runs the popular comic shop with his wife Maggie, TAG! Artworks and Comics. Described by broadcaster and comic fan Jonathan Ross as “one of the most consistently original and thought-provoking creators working in comics today”, Al Davison has also been acclaimed by writers such as Neil Gaiman who referred to his unique work as “a religious experience, akin to dreaming with your eyes open.” Al’s graphic novel The Spiral Cage was the subject of a documentary by Paul WS Anderson producer/director of Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil.
Coventry City of Culture Trust worked with Unlimited to award Al Davison an ‘Unlimited Strategic Commission’ to transform his visuals and graphic novel artworks into this digital project, including video and animation, giving richer context to his own story. Support from digital commissioning agency The Space ensured that a modular approach to developing the website would enable further artworks and content to be added as the project grows, leaving a legacy into the future.
Announcing the launch of the website, Al Davison said:
“Muscle Memory in Motion is a pilot programme to create a multi-media platform showcasing my autobiographical work. The initial focus is on addressing issues around disability hate crime. Statistics show that as of 2020, people with disabilities are three times more likely to experience domestic abuse than their able-bodied peers. I found that the conversation around hate crime often ignored disability. I wanted to do something to change that and thought that maybe illustrating my own experiences would be a good place to start.”
Director of We Are Unlimited Jo Verrent said:
“Al’s work is exceptional – both in form and content. Intricate illustration interwoven with powerful storylines – all the more shocking for being true. Al is allowing us all the privilege of glimpsing his lived experience to bring attention to the shocking statistics around Disability Hate Crime which is sadly on the increase. Unlimited hasn’t supported graphic art before and to be able to do so at this level makes us very proud. This is work that has to reach a wide audience, and through partnering with both Coventry 2021 and The Space means we can amplify the work and upscale its impact. Experience it, be moved by it, share it.”
Chief Executive and Creative Director of The Space, Fiona Morris said:
“Muscle Memory in Motion is an astounding piece of work from Al Davison and the combination of traditional comic book format with interactive technology has created a powerful experience that will bring Al’s story to a whole new audience. The multi-media format provides additional, visceral insights into the artist’s story, highlighting the shocking nature of disability hate crime. In realising this project Al has created a beautiful work of art that incorporates traditional storytelling techniques with modern technology to bring attention to a very difficult subject matter.”
Coventry City of Culture Creative Director, Chenine Bhathena commented:
“It was always our intention to tell as broad a range of local stories as possible this year, capturing the real day-to-day lived experiences of citizens in Coventry. Al Davison is one of the finest exponents of comic illustration in the UK and I am so excited that he won the Unlimited award to build this exciting project, in collaboration with The Space.”