Reflections // Mental Health Week

As part of mental health week in 2016 we created 'cathARTic' a collection of artistic workshops and activities centered around coming to terms with mental health issues through a 'cathartic process' involving understanding, reducing stigma and the practice of ‘letting go’.

Reflections involved participants looking at themselves for a minimum of 15 minutes to an hour, naked (don't worry only the sfw version here) in the mirror and were then invited to reflect about their experience. They were directed to stare into their eyes and not be judgmental and try to even say I love you to themselves. Many issues involving mental health revolve around our measure of self worth and how adequate we feel as human beings, particularly linked to the physical.  

Brave portraits and reflections featured below Warning - Nudity (NSFW) (where permission was given, if preferred not, portraits have been cropped).

  • Gavin (Before)

  • Gavin Reflecting (After)

    "An interesting experience, I have no problem looking at my body as I shower each day . But to be alone and focus solely on me was new. I found my eyes involuntarily welling up - not as if I was sad but it felt very emotional. I had a few tears but felt happy. I felt like one eye was serious and one was the joking eye - one would ask "hey man, wanna get something off your chest?" And the other would say "hey, you're alright man forgive yourself - and smile back at me". There's the usual hang-ups as you realise you don't have a six-pack, more of a two pack. But some bits are good, like hey "nice shoulders" "Nice hair!" So you celebrate the positives. It's odd thinking how attractive you are to yourself vs how attractive you are to others. You might not be trying to pick up yourself but maybe you should realise that damn you are alright! Check that killer smile! Take yourself out for a coffee, hey the conversation should be pretty good"

  • Anna (Before)

  • Anna reflecting (After)

    "That was pretty hard initially and I kept getting distracted by my body being right there in front of me - usually I try to spend as little time naked as possible. Staring into my own eyes actually made me feel way more positive than I ever would looking at my body though. By the end of it, I was kind of like "fuck yeah - you're not perfect but you're awesome!" which was basically the opposite response to what I expected and opposite from the way I'd normally talk to myself."

  • Richard (Before)

  • Richard reflecting (After)

    "I feel like I've done some work on my body image and in general I'm aware and have embraced my creases and nooks (although I don't pay much attention to what I look like from behind and I hadn't come to terms with that fully). At first when a meter away from the mirror, I saw my dad and grandads face in mine, due to obvious facial similarities and was surprised at the warmth I felt from this. When younger, I would have wanted to distance myself from the idea of looking like my family. As I got closer - I felt like I could feel and see all the DNA of my ancestors coursing through me - this connection to some thing or things much older than myself. I got closer still and I looked into my eyes and saw my girlfriend reflected. I've looked into her eyes on many occasions so it was familiar but strange seeing it in my own eyes. It made me feel connected to everyone and the nakedness added to that. This acknowledgement of our sameness in our bare nudity. I said 'I love you' to myself as Giselle had instructed. I felt joy extend beneath my skin all over my body. It was in that moment, I realised how far I've come. I was actually grateful for who I am. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts - I was grateful for it all. A complete reversal to myself from a year or more ago when I resented everything about myself and wanted to change it all. I looked into my pupil and saw our commonality with animals. I felt it inside. It was it. We are animals and that's incredible. They are us in other forms. It was a wonderful experience today. I am very grateful for it, thank you."