Blimey look at this…. its been a long time since I wrote anything on here. This I conclude…… is a good thing. There is something about sitting around writing about ‘mental health’ that breeds such a sense of intensity in the mind that its probably not very sustainable for longer periods. Taking a break from my blog is probably mentally healthy.
On Monday next week I am going along to a seminar called Art Vs Rehab and its all about uses of art in mental health treatment. The thing about it that really caught my eye is Hannah Hull’s proposed presentation about how the methodology of ‘conceptual art’ is useful in rehabilitation practice. Here is her blurb she can explain it much better than me:
Artist Hannah Hull uses a conceptual art model when working with people with backgrounds in mental health. She suggests that political, social and therapeutic aims are implicit to conceptual art, and that this model allows for a more attainable social inclusion.
I like this because I find that ‘conceptual’ art methods are often deemed to be alienating to anyone who has not been to art school. The fact that more conceptual (rather than just visual) approaches can be considered therapeutic within treatment is really quite progressive, I think. Read more about Hannah’s work here http://www.hannahhull.co.uk/
Also there is a really interesting festival happening in Croatia at the moment called Extravagent Bodies: Extravagant Minds which has got loads of interesting work about mental health and a super looking exhibition, which I am very sad to be missing. Carlos Larrondo’s video work about a psychiatric hospital that launched its own radio station sounds particularly fascinating. http://kontejner.org/lt22-radio-la-colifata-englis…
I’ve had a couple of nice emails about this blog in the past two weeks…… I like it when this happens as its heartening to think that people take time to read and then feel inspired to get in touch. I’m really busy finalising my MA application, applying for a few other bits and pieces and generally sorting my life out at the moment….. But as soon as all the urgent stuff is out of the way I am going to settle down and write a post I have been excited about for ages…… about some psychotic drawings of cats………
