A new exhibition which explores how people navigate the complications of mental health disorders has opened at The Bloom Gallery.
The exhibition in Battersea, which runs from 11 March to 11 April in collaboration with Sound Minds, provides a raw portrayal of the autistic artist’s own experiences with ADHD, anxiety and depression.
The inspiration for Brain Maze arose for Lara Black, 36, as they found themselves subconsciously creating mazes to combat feelings of stress and anxiety.
Black said: “Creation is the way that I express myself.
“It not only allows me to make sense of my own mind but with what’s happening in the world.”
Despite having always found comfort in the creation of mazes, Black did not consider presenting these pieces until they began attending painting classes with mental health charity Sound Minds.
The charity specialises in transforming lives through the arts and regularly allows its attendees to showcase their creations.
Black said: “By allowing people like myself to curate exhibitions, Sound Minds offers visibility to artists who suffer from mental health disorders.”
Black’s exhibition features intricately drawn monochrome mazes, which bear resemblance to a Greek labyrinth.
Each maze varies in its form and structure, and each piece symbolises the artist’s feelings of entrapment and instability.
The decision to exhibit both hand drawn and print images comes from Black’s desire to not just show the the raw and original prototypes as well as the finished product.
By exhibiting the entire process of creation and the faults along the way, Black hopes to generate an authentic experience for visitors and destigmatize conversations around mental health.
Black said: “As the exhibition is about struggling with poor mental health, I think it’s important to let visitors see actual hand drawn pieces, with the imperfections in all of their glory.
“I think that viewing art that is created by people who suffer from mental health disorders encourages people to open up and in turn, allows them to see that they’re not alone.”
Brain Maze is open on Tuesdays from 12pm to 5pm and Fridays from 2pm to 5pm.
Feature image: Lara Black
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