Exploring Invisible Octopus project

 Living in the shadows of an Invisible Octopus: 

Working on ‘Invisible Octopus’ inexplicably forced me to examine and establish the truth about what is my normal. 

Corina Duyn.

Octopus- by Corina Duyn

As ‘Invisible Octopus’ was one of the most profound explorations of life with ME, the physical realty, society’s views, and the power of art, I decided to create this post for easier access of my ‘paper’. This work, these stories came from the time I worked with Dr. Emma Fisher through a mentoring bursary from the Arts & Disability Ireland Connect Scheme in 2019. 

My aim during the mentoring was to write a script for my existing puppets, as well as explore alternative forms of puppetry to accommodate the physical challenges due life with illness/disability Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

I had been invited to submit an article for a puppetry journal about this work but felt at the time that I wanted to share my story more immediate and in a more publicly accessible format. I made the decision to share these (unedited) reflections in a series of blog post.

In this paper divided up in seven blog posts all published in 2019 with text and visuals I wrote about the background to ‘Invisible Octopus’ and the challenges, opportunities and personal revelations it brought, to the final video poem.

Many thanks for your interest.

Corina

February 2026

Still from the short film trial 

To read:

Part 1: Background to the project 

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/11/invisible-octopus-1-background.html

Part 2:  Puppet Design dictated by illness/disability

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/11/invisible-octopus-2-puppet-design.html

Part 3: ME and the Phoenix - rising from the ashes 

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/12/invisible-octopus-3-me-and-phoenix.html

Part 4: ME as Invisible Octopus, acting as Puppeteer 

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/12/invisible-octopus-4-Octopus.html 

Part 5: A Poem

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/12/invisible-octopus-5-poem.html 

Part 6: Hanging on by a string

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/12/invisible-octopus-6-hanging-on-by-string.html

Part 7: The play of shadows

https://corinaduyn.blogspot.com/2019/12/invisible-octopus-7-play-of-shadows.html

Little Paper Me, which issued in the shadow puppetry imagery

ALSO SEE

  * Accompanying short puppet film abstract

https://youtu.be/QnPM3nt062g?si=LrZtJXur2El3gWmT

* Final ‘Invisible Octopus’ video poem (2020)

https://youtu.be/nXlq4QiR11c?si=6nbsYGl3aApv_ou-

* This work was also shared in the ME Advocates Ireland (MEAI) online exhibition to mark Severe ME Day, August 8 2025: Let Art be a Way to Witness and Remember.

http://meadvocatesireland.blogspot.com/2025/08/let-art-be-way-to-witness-and-remember.html

* My notebook created during this process can be viewed on Youtube .

The actual notebook at my Creative Archive at Réalta, Centre for Arts and Health in Waterford, Ireland. https://realta.ie/home-news/corina-duyn-artist-in-care-donates-archive-to-realta/

Page from the notebook 

“Invisible Octopus is an extraordinary and succinct illustration of life with ME”. Réalta

Screenshot from MEAI art exhbition