MEDIA RELEASE

“The one thing in your life that is constant is that your life will be interrupted”
 - Annette Lawson, artist

More than 100 artists who are experiencing mental illness will showcase their work at an exhibition from 6 to 15 December in the Atrium of Melbourne’s Federation Square.

The free exhibition, Art of Interruption is an initiative of Mind, a leading not-for-profit mental health service provider. It will be open to the public 24 hours a day and extends over two weekends.

“We hope the exhibition will make you think differently about the world, either because it mystifies you or it’s something you haven’t encountered before,” said Malcolm Morgan, Mind’s general manager of service development.

“Expressing what and how you feel is central to recovery from mental illness. Through the medium of art, people can convey something that is beyond words. Finding ways to communicate those experiences is at the heart of what we do at Mind.”

The annual art exhibition began four years ago and is the culmination of outreach and community programs provided by Mind and this year will be held in collaboration with Doutta Galla Community Health Services.

“The art occurs within the context of people recovering from mental illness, but it’s also art within the context of art making. It stands up for itself as art, rather than being the sort of art mentally ill people make,” said Mr Morgan.

The exhibition is proudly supported by The William Buckland Foundation and the Pierce Armstrong Foundation. Proceeds from the sale of the artwork go directly to the artists.

Artist Profile: Annette Lawson

Annette is 59 years old and lives in Wangaratta. She attended Mind’s Art Retreat last year, which she says changed her life. She is now employed at Trinity, one of Mind’s programs, to run art groups and has been heavily involved in Mind’s Art Reference Group and exhibition this year. She has been an artist for many years and went to art school. Annette has been living with a mental illness for a number of years.

Artist Profile: Peter Ambrose

Peter is 28 years old and he has fabulous fluorescent yellow hair. He is a talented musician and artist and will be performing an acoustic set at the launch. He has been a client at Narana, a program of Mind, for seven years and now lives in a Narana outreach flat, and has an outreach worker who supports him on his journey of recovery from mental illness.

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Interview and pictorial opportunities:
•    Malcolm Morgan, Mind’s General Manager Service Development
•    Christopher Lawrence, curator
•    Annette Lawson, artist
•    Peter Ambrose, artist
•    Artwork images are available on request.

About Mind’s Art programs: Mind’s residential and day programs offer a range of arts-based groups for clients, which culminate in an annual art retreat and exhibition. The emphasis of these programs is to encourage the client to develop their identity as an artist. It promotes choice and builds on the artist’s own capacity. The artist has opportunities to learn new techniques and skills by participating in art making itself, as well as related activities such as planning outings, curating exhibitions, preparation of promotional flyers or food for these exhibitions and public speaking.

About Mind: Mind (formerly Richmond Fellowship Victoria & South Australia) has been operating for more than 30 years and is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit, non-government providers of mental health services to people recovering from a mental illness. Mind also assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to access community services including safe and stable accommodation. Each year, Mind helps more than 2,300 people across Victoria and South Australia to rebuild their lives, reconnect with family, friends and the community and rediscover a purpose in life.

www.mindaustralia.org.au