Mah Rana

Mah Rana is a practising artist, researcher, and writer affiliated with the School of Arts & Humanities at the Royal College of Art (RCA). As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and co-editor of the Journal of Applied Arts and Health, they specialize in contemporary jewellery, well-making, creative health, and healthcare psychology. Their PhD research at Birkbeck College explores the lived experience of daughters crafting with mothers with dementia. They lead the Radical Matter Research proto-Centre, focusing on material culture and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Mah’s research interests include healthcare, ageing, and the intersection of art with wellbeing. They have collaborated with organizations like the National Centre for Creative Health and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Arts, Health and Wellbeing. Their work emphasizes using creative practices to address health inequities and leverage community assets for marginalized groups.

Key contributions include the Meanings and Attachments global project documenting personal connections to jewellery, featured in venues like Tate Britain and the Röhsska Museum. Exhibitions span international venues such as the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Museums of Scotland. Their writing appears in journals like Journal of Arts & Communities and Using Art as Research in Learning and Teaching.

Mah has held roles including Visiting Lecturer at London Southbank University, External Examiner at the University for the Creative Arts, and reviewer for Qualitative Health Research. They advocate for creative health through advisory roles in national programs like the AHRC UKRI’s Mobilising Cultural and Natural Assets initiative.