The Vibrant Mind is an exhibition of artworks on the theme of mental health which will be touring across Europe this year.
I entered my artwork 'Trepidation' into the open call for the Vibrant Mind exhibition which is being run by GAMIAN (Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Network). The open call specified that the digital submissions would be printed and original artworks would not be transported. Since my other pieces exploring the topic of mental health, are oil on canvas and very textural (which does not photograph effectively) I decided to chose 'Trepidation' because the painting was created in acrylic on perspex and is therefore not textural.
'Trepidation' is an A3, acrylic on perspex painting which I created in 2020. It was made during the pandemic when society as a collective were experiencing high-levels of anxiety due to the uncertainty caused by Covid-19. The painting was a reflection on the acknowledgment of mental suffering where more people were speaking openly about their feelings - the choice of a male figure was deliberate to challenge the traditional societal expectations on men to supress their emotions and not show any weakness. The background is inspired by the night's sky, to represent the restless sleep/insomnia which is often caused by worrying, but also to symbolise the opportunity for development which can arise from allowing yourself to embrace fear and be open to the process of dreaming.
A public vote decided which of the submitted artworks would be included in the exhibition and I was thrilled that 'Trepidation' would be featured. The first exhibition is taking place in Zagreb, Croatia before moving on to Romania and other locations. Local Croatian media have publicised the exhibition.
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