In times of crisis, the role of art becomes more central to our lives, like it or not.
“With art, you have all the colours in the world to share your thoughts,” wrote one youth in the Holistic Arts-based Program at Laurentian University.
(Unsplash/Rahul Jain)
A human rights researcher documents the stories of Central American migrants leaving behind endemic poverty and high homicide rates. In limbo in Mexico, many use art therapy to express their anxiety.
Art is no cure all. But it can open up new spaces for us to ask new questions.
Art and Seek Workshop participants examining locks of Keats’s hair and the painting P.B. Shelley in the Baths of Caracalla by Joseph Severn.
A. Frances Johnson
Was John Keats a refugee in his day? A workshop for refugees, migrants and artists took place recently at Keats-Shelley House and the story of the great Romantic poet’s life and death hit a nerve.
Marine Staff Sgt Anthony Mannino uses art and music as part of therapeutic care for his traumatic brain injury.
Marvin Lynchard/US Department of Defence
Using creativity and artistic metaphor to tap unconscious memories helps release pent up trauma.
Part of a black cotton cushion cover depicting the Australian coat of arms embroidered by Lance Corporal Alfred Briggs (Albert Biggs), 20 Battalion, AIF.
Courtesy of Australian War Memorial
Embroidery - often seen as women’s work - was a common form of therapy for troops wounded in the first world war. One soldier, Albert Biggs, learned to sew with his left hand after his right arm was badly injured.
Elioth Gruner Spring Frost 1919: one of the paintings included in the gallery’s program.
Art Gallery of New South Wales Gift of F G White 1939
A new study shows that looking at paintings can bring pleasure to people living with dementia, affecting their wellbeing even after the memory of the event has gone.
Adolf Wölfli drawing from 1926: a prolific artist.
Wikimedia/Kulture Online
Organisations such as MIND work tirelessly to raise awareness of mental health problems and real progress has been made in destigmatising mental illness through campaigns such as Time to Change and Black…
Artworks by Mic Eales from the Inspired Lives exhibition at The Dax Centre. ‘End of statistics’ in the foreground.
Mic Eales
My doctoral studies in visual arts entails working with people who are not necessarily visual artists, but see the value in artistically expressing their story to expand our understanding of suicide. Suicide…