Insight

Insight

Insight is the body of work I have created that addresses the stigma and realty of those suffering from Depression. There are three parts to the body of work; Sleeping I and Sleeping II are Ink paintings created to show moments of fatigue, when getting out of bed is an impossible task. The second part are Lino prints titled The Mundane I,II and III. These artworks represent and show mundane aspects of normal functioning that often get neglected and do not take place for those with mental illness. The final part is a large nude painting on a recycled glass shower panel titled Vulnerable. The artwork shows a vulnerable moment of a woman in the shower, where feelings of loneliness and helplessness feel overwhelming. I used a variety of different materials for different parts of the project, as well and kept them all monochromatic. They were picked for their ability to portray particular emotions. Impacting the viewer and pushing them to think about mental illness is the goal of my work. 

Creating these artworks has been a part of my own personal journey with mental illness. It has allowed me to explore and research depression, and reflect and think about my own struggles. When deciding to create art with this theme I was influenced with what is not said around me. More and more people are affected by different types of mental illness and it is not spoken about openly in our society and homes. This adds to the stigma and isolation of a large group of society. My art shows the viewer the realities that many people face and may not talk about. It's simple and straightforward, the artworks challenge the stigma of silence and aim to start a dialogue with those with mental illness and those without. They offer insight in a way that makes the viewer connect with the feelings portrayed by the works but also connect with those around them. It shows symptoms and behaviours that people may not always notice or understand.

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