M.A.D Art Installation

If you haven’t had the opportunity to go to the M.A.D (Making a Difference) Art Installation this week, unfortunately you have missed your chance, as the last day was today.

I managed to go on Friday with my Curly Haired Friend, and it was a very moving experience.

I was quite surprised when I first arrived as I wasn’t expecting the Gallery to be so small, but there was a lot of work crammed into a very small area, and our time there seemed to absolutely fly by as there were so many fascinating pieces to see, hear, and read. I only wish that the pieces had been properly labelled to give full credit to the artists.

One piece that I could hardly tear my eyes away from was this piece with the words “The One That Got Away” written in the bottom right hand corner.


Made of tubes, to me the people looked like they were tied up in straight jackets. It reminded me of how people with mental health problems are often restricted and held back from enjoying life due to heavy medication regimes inflicted on them. Also, how restrictive it must feel to have ones freedom taken away when hospitalised against ones will, and yet without the safety of those confines “the one that got away” didn’t fair any better. It seems to be a hopeless situation for some, and it struck me that mental illness is like a straight jacket in itself. How can one break free from that?

I also found the sculptures interesting to look at and I couldn’t help but notice that all except two of them were people bowed down low, obviously indicating the crippling depression that accompanies mental illness. The only two that were looking up seemed to me to be writhing in pain.

My Curly Haired Friend, who like me, has suffered from depression, was drawn to this ladder made with barbed wire. It reminded her how impossible it feels to pull yourself up again once you have reached the bottom, as every step is full of pain.


Although the art was very good, the experience was painful. It wasn’t a celebration of art, or a celebration of those surviving mental illness, but mental illness expressed through art. I just saw and heard pain everywhere. For me, the most distressing part was one of the audio pieces; the constant mumbling and whispering was unbearable. I wanted to scream for it to stop, and I realised that this is something that Mr Man has to cope with every day.

Although upsetting, it was an experience I would recommend as it fulfilled its purpose of giving insight into the torture of mental illness.


My apologies for not being able to give credit to the relevant artists.


Other exhibitions

The “Frame of Mind” Art Exhibition will be displaying artwork of people managing a serious mental illness or brain disorder. It will be held on Monday 22nd October - Sunday 4th November 2007 at Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Wycombe Swan Art Gallery is situated in the Circle Foyer. Click here for directions.

“Mental Image” is an international open art exhibition exploring mental health hosted by Project Ability. Selected work will be exhibited in Project Ability’s two galleries, located in the centre of Glasgow, from Monday 8th October – Friday 23rd November 2007. Click here for location and more information.