Mental Notes
In any Camberwell A-Z, the letter M must surely stand for the Maudsley and the area’s long-standing connection with mental health and well-being.
Linking this to the current coronavirus crisis, and the corresponding need to present this year’s Camberwell Arts Festival online, Daylight Robbery's online exhibition has been developed as a way to share and comment on his own coping mechanisms during this unprecedented period of enforced social distancing. From self-isolation to working on the front line, the mental health challenges of COVID-19 are extreme for everyone - and the long-term effect on our national psyche is likely to be profound. People are facing a new, threatening and unpredictable experience.
At the same time, their standard coping strategies for stressful situations are being disrupted as they are forced to change routine and distance themselves from family, friends and mental health professionals. Mental Notes is a series of personal notes, reminders and aide-memoires that have assisted the artist with the process of retaining self-control and well-being when his experience of the world during these uncertain times threatens to become emotionally overwhelming. They are shared online to encourage others to create their own Mental Notes and explore how the process of creating art can support mental health and well-being.
