Mindscapes: Art and the Mental Health Experience is an immersive exhibit that shows how different mental health illnesses can be shown through different art mediums. The collection of artworks show the different experiences of mental health challenges including schizophrenia, addiction, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. Overall, we wanted to show the importance of highlighting art through a mental health perspective which often gets pushed to the side.
This exhibition shows both the struggle of these illnesses, but also about the resilience, creativity and the human drive to communicate these different experiences. These are usually different to each person, however artwork can show how people can come together due to these illnesses. Art allows us to look into the lived realities of these people, as well as offering viewers an understanding of these artworks.
Through many different art techniques, the pieces we have selected to highlight intersects with mental health in many different ways. They show identity, creativity and perception of people with these disorders. The themes throughout these artworks show self-reflection and transformation, showing the pain of these illnesses and the beauty of showing them through an art style.
Visitors will encounter pieces that evoke the manic state of bipolar disorders, the spiraling of depression, the realities of schizophrenia, the cravings of addiction and the tension of anxiety. Together, these mental health struggles are all shown by the unique ways that these artists made these art pieces. How these artists brought these mental health illnesses to life.
Mindscapes invites viewers to step into a new world, to step in a world of different mental health illnesses. This allows the viewers to see the art through a new lens, a mental health lens. It illuminates a vital tole of creativity in understanding and navigating the human mind. We hope this exhibit starts the conversation about different mental health conditions, and to celebrate the connection between art and healing.