SAD

Beyond Words: Performing Mental Illness

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Performing mental health is something I do every day, be it consciously or subconsciously. Within my artistic practice, I perform what is so often hidden mentally to build understanding and raise awareness of what people may face daily. I create fashioned feelings/wearable sculptures and perform in these creations to physically represent mental illnesses and disorders. I draw inspiration for the performances through my lived experience of managing my mental health using autobiographical documentation as well as peer reviewed studies in psychology. My performance work incorporates digital media as a means of questioning the role social media and other digital formats has on one's mental health. By wearing the disorder, showing the hidden emotions, and embodying physical movement as representation, I aim to create strong physical and psychological reactions in my viewers. My artwork is a manifestation of my personal mental health journey, intricately entwined with emotions, thoughts, and feelings, seeking to delve into the very core of the human experience.