New art exhibition exploring the impact of suicide to open in Liverpool

A ground-breaking exhibition exploring stories and the impact of suicide is to open in Liverpool’s historic Cunard Building this September.

Developed in collaboration with Merseyside-based community arts organisation Heart of Glass, Close to Home, is more than an exhibition. It is an act of witness, inviting audiences into a space of contemplation, of reflection, of quiet assembly. Built upon lived and living experience of suicidal thoughts and attempts, and of bereavement by suicide, it has been created by award-winning artist Mark Storor as an integral part of the collaborative arts project, The Suicide Chronicles.

Taking place between 3 September and 10 October 2026, including World Suicide Prevention Day (10 Sept) and World Mental Health Day (10 Oct), Close to Home brings together more than seven years’ work by Mark, in collaboration with communities and individuals across England, Ireland and Wales with experience of suicide.

Mark’s innate ability to depict personal stories and experiences through art will create a philosophical space that attempts to express and articulate the unsayable around an issue that often exists in silence, while acknowledging and honouring the experiences of those we have lost.

Patrick Fox, CEO of Heart of Glass, said:

“When we started the project with Mark in 2018, we had no expectation of how long it would last or where it would take us. We quickly realised after the first Chronicle this was an artistic interrogation we had to carry forward to encompass as many voices and experiences as possible, to give them the time and space to be seen and heard.

“The subject of suicide, its impact on self, family, on nation, on people and communities the world over is a fundamental part of life. Through each of the six Chronicles we’ve worked with 50 people who have been impacted by suicide, and with research showing that one suicide can impact approximately 135 people, it’s a heartbreaking statistic. Each Chronicle or ‘chapter’ is uniquely defined by the experience of the individuals who made them and the time in which they were made. While they are different in content, they speak to each other collectively to give form to the infinitely complex and multi-layered nature of bereavement by suicide. The seventh chapter is Close to Home.”

Heart of Glass originally commissioned Mark to develop a project that would examine some of the difficult and challenging questions resulting from the impacts of suicide: In a world which demands action and reaction, what does it mean to contemplate, to give ourselves over to time, to listen, to make sense together?

At the time of commission in 2018, St Helens had the highest suicide rate in England and Wales, and the Suicide Chronicles project was born in response to the many stories of loss in a town emblematic of a devastating national trend. St Helens was a town prepared collectively to address this, to find a language and a model of practice that did not exist, allowing Mark to work with the local community and individuals using collaborative arts methodologies to address what is happening in our society.

Through the Chronicles he has brought together multiple experiences of suicide, including those of women bereaved by the suicide of their partners; of farmers with respect to their relationship to the land, and of the high rate of suicide amongst them. There are stories told from intergenerational perspectives of the impact of teen suicide on a community, and insight into the experiences of first responders on the front line of suicide.

Mark’s process of co-creation and collaboration has developed a multifaceted residency in the Cunard Building, which is animated throughout its duration, including live performance, poetry, music, film, digital installations, sculptures, animation and photography. Each work is particular; poignant, vivid and truthful, shining light on individuals’ stories.

Credit: Heart of Glass / Mark Storor / Stephen King

Mark Storor said:

“Close to Home will bring all six Chronicles into one space, addressing together, for the first time, what is happening in our communities as the result of suicide. Like suicide, Close to Home is not an end but part of a continuum. The courage to meet the stark realities of suicide head on began in St Helens and gained momentum; a ripple effect generated through the numerous stories I am humbled to have had shared with me.

“It’s the journey we’ve been on, the people we’ve met and worked with, the years that have passed, and the moments that have led to the here and now. It’s a contemplation, a philosophical space, an exploration, an interrogation, and it’s as much about life as it is about death. Visitors will be able to explore their relationship with self, with one another, with those across the world, hopefully to value what fundamentally connects us all as humans. I hope that those who have been impacted by suicide will gain a strength from collectively witnessing together the stories of others and understand that art can have a role in all our lives for gaining renewed outlook, relief, strength and remembrance.”

Close to Home will bring together work that has been made through The Suicide Chronicles to form a six-week residency and public programme in Liverpool City Centre, with partner events in St Helens. Over the six weeks, audiences will be invited to spend time with the artworks of The Suicide Chronicles, to witness each person’s story and to bring their stories too, recognising that suicide resides within the experience of being human, the unequivocal connection between life and death that we all share.

Hosted in the Cunard Building in Liverpool, during its residency the Chronicles will evolve further through a programme of performances and conversations with guests, along with plans to create space for city-wide conversations, and access to support for those that need it to form a legacy beyond the display of Close to Home, from which to learn, reflect, connect and reach out for help when needed.

Close to Home has been made possible with funding from Arts Council England and Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and is presented in partnership with Liverpool City Council, Culture Liverpool and Public Health Liverpool.

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:

“Culture Liverpool and Public Health Liverpool are proud to be partnering with Heart of Glass on this important and poignant project.

“Suicide remains a public health priority for Liverpool and our prevention work continues to grow, but the fact that we still don’t talk openly about suicide and it remains a “taboo” subject is one of the biggest challenges in our work.

“By collaborating with partners on projects like Close to Home, we can use the power of art and culture to break down barriers and bring our communities together to learn and reflect, create space for important conversations, and provide access to support for those that need it.

“Talking about mental health and suicide can be difficult, but it’s one of the most important things we can do – research shows that open conversations can raise awareness, break down stigma, encourage people to seek help, and support their wellbeing.

“We are committed to fostering a community where people feel able to speak openly, share their feelings, and access the help they need.”

Content advisory: Close to Home explores lived and living experiences of suicide and bereavement. It does not depict suicide, but it does engage with themes that some people may find emotionally challenging. People are welcome to engage in whatever way feels right for them, and support information will be available throughout a visit.