Art has always been a medium of self-expression for people, both then and now. It is especially convenient for people to express their mental health through said medium. However, alongside the evolution of art has been the normalization and destigmatization of mental health. How have these two coincided?

Mental Health in Art

Art itself has a lot of benefits to those who may be struggling mentally and is even a recognized form of therapy alongside forms such as behavioral therapy. Art therapy is defined as using “creative means to treat mental illnesses and improve mental health”, according to an APA blog (1). Treatments come in various forms similar to the art pieces themselves, ranging from painting and drawing to music or even dance (1).

A Brief History

There are dozens of artists in history that have suffered from not just physical conditions, but even mental conditions. For example, everyone has heard of the Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. However, what they may not know is that he suffered from a mental condition. A study by Paul Wolf suggests that evidence points to the possibility of the artist suffering from manic depression (2). In an infamous incident, van Gogh would end up cutting off his ear and giving it to someone in 1888. There are multiple theories regarding why he may have done this, but the incident ultimately led to his admittance into a mental asylum. He would also create a piece about this titled Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (3). As mental health was still not fully understood at the time and with no proper treatments available for what he suffered from, the man would eventually take his life in the year 1890.

He is only one of many cases of artists suffering mental conditions and using art as a form of self-expression for it. There’s also the case of Edvard Munch, famous for his painting The Scream. It is suspected he had some form of mental illness, and was surrounded by individuals in his life that suffered from it. For instance, his father struggled with depression and one of his sisters spent her time in a psychiatric facility. Aside from mental conditions, he had lost both his mother and his other sister at a young age to tuberculosis–the death of that sister being the inspiration for his artwork The Sick Child (4).

Changes in Art Overtime and Usage in the Modern Era for Mental Health

Art has changed a lot since then. More accessible to the general population, but there are now two distinct types of art: traditional and digital. The former typically refers to art still done on the usual paper or pen on paper, while the latter utilizes software in order to make art (think Adobe or Procreate).

Additionally, with the growth of social media, people have established platforms where they share the art they’ve made. The nature of the posted art typically errs on the side of digital art, and there are a multitude of ways this art can be depicted. For example, digital artists can post standalone pieces or show their creative process in something known as a speedpaint, in which an artist works on a particular piece for a limited amount of time and displays the process of what they do. The actual recording may be longer, but it’s usually sped up to be more watchable, hence the name. The purpose of the technique is simply to work quickly and efficiently.

Aside from speedpaints, there is also an alternative form of digital art posted online known as vent art. This term could also define some of the works mentioned previously by the artists known in history. It encapsulates a form of art in which the artist expresses their emotions (5), though online it typically emphasizes negative emotion such as fear, sadness, and the like. Contrary to simple posts, this art can also be depicted in the form of animations: moving imagery, not still imagery. There are numerous benefits to this. Much like art therapy in general, it acts as an outlet for your emotions. Online, people may post it to stir up discussion among their audience. This can create a space where others can engage with the art. The space allows them to connect what the art depicts to their own experiences, empathizing with the artist directly. They can also invite people to draw their own speculations and ways of interpreting the art. Art is, and always has been, subjective and ultimately up to the eye of the beholder.

Unfortunately, posting online also comes with drawbacks. When it comes to vent posts, the act can invite trolls who may simply be there to make fun of the artist or others who comment under the posts. Although there’s such a thing as blocking these types of people, they could also simply start harassment campaigns against these artists and torment them that way. Trolls themselves are inevitable with all forms of social media posts, sadly.

With the recent growth of AI generation to make art and images, it has become increasingly difficult for artists. For some, art is more than just a form of self-expression–it’s how they make a living. Now, artists must worry about making their art look ‘human’, lest they be accused of using AI to generate it. Additionally, they’re actively losing their main form of making money. Why pay for an artist when you have an AI that can do it for free or at a lesser cost in general, after all?

Conclusion

To conclude, both art and mental health have evolved with time. Art now comes in traditional art and digital art, plus it’s now used as a recognized form of therapy for people. Social media has also played a role in how art and mental health are depicted online in the modern day. Art has always been used as a means of self-expression–whether that be depicting one’s own struggles with mental health or personal interpretations of how others may view the subject–and this continues to show today, just through more means of doing so.

Sources:

Psychiatry.org - Creative Arts: Enhancing Mental Health and Well-being (1)

Creativity and chronic disease Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) - PMC (2)

Vincent van Gogh chops off his ear | December 23, 1888 | HISTORY (3)

Edvard Munch Was Haunted by Physical and Mental Illnesses—but He Was Also Fascinated by Them (4)

World Mental Health Day: 5 reasons to try vent art - The Courier Online (5)