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What might be normal for some, may be experienced very differently by others with various mental health issues. What is it like to live with a mental health issue? How does one cope? How has medicine, our cultures and politics reacted to and changed over time to neurodiversity? This exhibition asks artists to make works related to neurodiversity that will help visually relate experiences and create conversations around mental health issues.
I'm Brandon Wulff, an artist driven by experimentation in quilting. Collaborating with designers, my unique pieces grace extraordinary homes. Highlights include the Marilyn Denis Show, Canadian Quilter Magazine features, and founding the Individual Members Coalition of the Modern Quilt Guild in 2020. My work, recognized in exhibitions and publications like Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Canadian House and Home Magazine, embraces a bold, experimental style. From "The R word and the S word" to "Visibly Mended," my quilts continue to captivate and push boundaries in the contemporary art scene.
Formed in 1993, Mad Pride activists aim to reclaim terms such as "mad," "nutter," and "psycho" from their derogatory usage, particularly in tabloid newspapers, and transform these terms from negative labels into symbols of pride and empowerment. Through extensive mass media campaigns, Mad Pride activists work to re-educate the public about the causes of mental disabilities and the lived experiences of individuals within the mental health system.
In this exhibition, I focused on increasing awareness of art, mental health, and neurodiversity within the SAQA community. The participants, not limited to those whose works were displayed, overwhelmingly conveyed a sense of "coping through art." This sentiment was shared by individuals living with mental health conditions or neurodiverse experiences, as well as by families and partners supporting those individuals, and in many cases, by those facing multiple intersecting challenges.
The concept of "awareness" was articulated as a journey of self-discovery and a deeper understanding of oneself. Participants expressed a collective experience of moving beyond mere survival to thriving with their differences. The ultimate goal extends beyond visibility; it is about belonging and finding joy within the community.
Selected Artists:
Regula Affolter (Switzerland) - In the bubble-running ovations #116
Valerie Bledsoe (Washington, USA) - Enough
Anat David Artman (Israel) - Behind the patches
Stephanie Capps Dyke (Maryland, USA) - Disorder
Elizabeth Michellod-Dutheil (Switzerland) - CONFUSUS
Joyce King Ferrie (Florida, USA) - Broken Hearts Hope To Someday Bloom
Maggy Rozycki Hiltner (Montana, USA) - Heebee Jeebees
Mattea Jurin (Italy) - They lost their marbles
Patty Kennedy-Zafred (Pennsylvania, USA) - Back At It
Steph Kincade (Nova Scotia, Canada) - Anguish
Anne Kobus (Florida, USA) - They Tell Me to Calm Down
Marjorie Madsen (New Mexico, USA) - Goggle Girl Gallimaufry
Tracie L. Maryne (British Columbia, Canada) - Momentary Silence of Rage
Kathleen McCabe (California, USA) - What Next?
Angela C. McPherson (Wyoming, USA) - Military Teen
Stefanie Wilson Neuner (South Carolina, USA) - Autism Bipolar Comorbidity ABC ASD
Karen Ponischil (North Carolina, USA) - Open Wounds
Kat Puente (Oregon, USA) - Hug
Joann Self Selvidge (Tennessee, USA) - Neuroplasticity
Jean Sredl (Wisconsin, USA) - Polar and Bi - Episode II
Karin Tauber (Virginia, USA) - Dementia – The Same Story Syndrome
Karin von Lerber (Switzerland) - Aura
Anna Wagner-Ott (Ontario, Canada) - Pushing the Envelope
