BFA THESIS

POSTER AND BLOG PROJECT

We Speak is a poster and blog campaign featuring ten young women speaking up about their relationships with mental health and how it informs their identities. This project was my year-long thesis for my Bachelor of the Fine Arts from the University of Michigan. The project was exhibited in Work Gallery in Ann Arbor Michigan in April and May of 2014 (part of Launch: Stamps School of Art and Design’s Senior Thesis Exhibition at the University of Michigan).

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For too many of us, mental wellbeing takes a backseat to physical health and even the daily obligations that never seem to let up. When it comes to young women, the rate of mental illness is over twice as high among individuals age 18-25 than for those age 50 and up. Combine these with pressures like narrow standards of beauty that are particularly pervasive for teen girls and young adult women, and it isn’t surprising that women are more likely to suffer from depression, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Despite how many women in this age group struggle with mental health, the stigma surrounding these kinds of illnesses is pervasive and obstructive. Having the support of loved ones is often crucial for healing, yet the fear, shame, guilt, and uncertainty of being honest about mental illness stops so many from confiding in friends and family. To foster support, we must raise awareness and reduce stigma. 

 

In 2013 and 2014, the ten young women featured in the poster portion of We Speak faced their own mental health head-on. Their stories, carefully and honestly written, are meant to start a conversation about a topic that many of us wish we could ignore. But these are their realities, and in sharing them, I want to start chipping away at the stigma that keeps us feeling weak and alone. 

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In addition to the original ten participants, others were and are encouraged to consider sharing their own story about mental health. By contributing their experiences, they helped open the discussion about the importance of mental health and tear down the stigma that keeps it so hidden.

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My process for this project was deeply focused on developing a relationship with each participant. Through periodic conversations with each focused on mental health, from both a personal and societal perspective, we worked together to foster a safe space in which we could speak honestly about our experiences. I came to realize that each woman came to this project with her own fears and her own hard-earned wisdom, and I encouraged each to share these in the process of writing their statements. Each poster and its accompanying written piece are the result of months of these conversations, writing drafts, and sketches, and I am eternally grateful to every person involved for her bravery and willingness to speak up.