Mental Health Month

October is Mental Health Month in Australia and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the escalating emotional consequences of dealing with the many ramifications of our changed lives. While the need for access to mental health services is paramount what, if anything, can art contribute to our emotional well-being? This week, ‘Daily Art Magazine’ has a number of suggestions.

We might explore the lives of artists who experienced mental health issues. Edvard Munch, Francisco de Goya and Vincent van Gogh are obvious examples: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/artists-who-suffered-mental-illness/ and https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/mental-health-van-gogh/

We might reflect on artists who enjoyed solitude to be creative (and might have even thrived during quarantine).  Yayoi Kusama, Pablo Picasso and Ellsworth Kelly are all described as ‘performing at their best when alone’: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/artists-alone/

We might look at art that reminds us of suffering and our capacity to deal with it. The power of mindfulness and compassion expressed by Bodhisattvas is a helpful starting point: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/bodhisattvas-art/

We might re-visit ‘Art as Therapy’ by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong and watch de Botton’s ‘School of Life’ lecture on the subject which can be found on youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFnNgTSkHPM De Botton visited Melbourne in 2014 and created a tour which highlights his thinking. The book is available online and a discussion of his tour is featured in ‘The Conversation’: https://theconversation.com/art-as-therapy-art-as-patriarchy-31356

Or we might seek out images of art that are calming and life affirming. ‘Daily Art’ has some suggestions: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/10-art-masterpieces-to-calm-your-anxiety/

The National Gallery of Victoria has many works that are helpful. My choices are:

As I do my best to maintain my physical health …

I will immerse myself in Rothko and use my ‘Smiling Mind’ meditation app …

And remember that this too will pass …