As another miniature project to go alongside other things I was taking on in my spare time, I decided it would be beneficial to start a project revolving around mental health in art. I started contacting and building relationships with fellow sufferers of mental illness and started asking them if I could collaborate and share experiences of which to base my art upon.
They seemed very keen that I was raising awareness through illustration and art in general and shared some valuable experiences of their issues with me of which I then drew. I noticed that lots of symbolism such as eyes and characters from other cultures were used. This was a nice way of subliminally incorporating issues and events by using imagery to represent it without being too obvious and upfront which some might feel is to overt and difficult to take in. By being subtle I was respecting others' trust they had bestowed upon me.
They seemed very keen that I was raising awareness through illustration and art in general and shared some valuable experiences of their issues with me of which I then drew. I noticed that lots of symbolism such as eyes and characters from other cultures were used. This was a nice way of subliminally incorporating issues and events by using imagery to represent it without being too obvious and upfront which some might feel is to overt and difficult to take in. By being subtle I was respecting others' trust they had bestowed upon me.
Inspired by Chet Zar and Tool's artwork which focuses highly on psychological issues and the impact outside sources such as the government have on our brains and how we are constantly being watched. I liked their use of symbolism (eyes, pulsating shapes, body parts) as it was nice being able to find your own meanings in each piece instead of being forced to see what the artist wants you to.
Albeit very basic and not very detailed at all, this piece was created at the height of my worst experiences and was done on hospital during the week and a half I was there. It allowed me to see on a first hand basis what other patients were going through and whilst there I met a lovely girl sharing the same experiences as myself which helped me create this piece. I tried to imagine an escape where my mind could be free of all thoughts. My all-seeing eye was at the centre of me at this particular time as I was extremely paranoid and wary of anyone who could pose a threat. The eye is to protect and ward off evil gazes from others.
The next piece I created from my own experiences also, featuring the same hallucinations (tactile, olfactory, visual, auditory, taste) and other aspects as symbolism. Here are some more of my attempted works:
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