Despair
Olivia Bell
I aimed to uncover the main symptoms related to this condition through painting. The man in this painting is alone, underlining the profound loneliness of mental ill-health. The lack of colour explains the loss of passion, emotion and life. The hands clutch a faceless head, hoping to relieve the physical and mental symptoms, embodying the struggle as well as the helplessness. The facelessness aims to describe the loss of self both due to degradation of character and health. He tries to relieve his pain by physically grabbing his head yet his position is also one of loss of agency.
My art seeks to assert the underlying backbone of depression. While painting I repeatedly revised, each time simplifying until I reached a faceless face which to me is a perfect representation of what it is like to suffer from depression hence losing identity. The darkness also symbolises the complete loneliness and desolation of the subject.
Producing this art work made me attempt to grasp the characteristic feelings in mental health. The painting is inspired by Jack at his lowest. It made me rethink and want to analyse depression. It isn’t often that you see a grown man at his most vulnerable and this is why I chose to explore depression: he made me realise the utter vulnerability of being a patient.
I found this a very powerful piece. It displays the true pain and suffering that can be associated with mental illness and emphasises its impact on a patient; just because it isn’t physical doesn’t mean it has any less power as an illness. I also think it explores the idea of a patient feeling helpless and out of control as the mind is so complex and confusing; it is easy to feel trapped and unsure of how to escape.
This painting really piqued my interest. It is a powerful image that represents the hardships patients suffering with depression/anxiety encounter on a regular basis. My favourite aspect of this picture is the fact that the patients face is hidden except for his open mouth. This feature (open mouth) shows us that people with mental health issues are hurting and screaming for help on the inside. The fact that we can’t see the patients face tells us that he feels he has lost his true self as a direct consequence of his illness (depression). Overall this piece really sparks to me and again underlines the importance of recognising mental health issues and getting the necessary support.
Really bold painting. Encapsulates how scary mental illness can be. You can’t see his face which suggests how illness can take over someone’s identity.