IT was a joyous celebration of art at the Canberra Hospital’s Adult Mental Health Unit this morning as artists, art lovers and carers gathered to mark the opening of the Mental Health Week art show, “Art From The Inside.” 

Ngunnawal elder aunty Agnes Shea was firing this morning, delivering a carefully thought out speech about the high incidence of mental health issues and suicide in original communities – as much as double that of the wider population. To her it was clear that art was a spiritual resource for many aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

The event, spearheaded by creative arts therapist  Renald Navilly and artistic colleagues like interactive cartoonist Andrew Hore, was formally hosted by Katrina Brasher, Executive Director, Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug  Services.

Ms Brasher said the exhibition was well matched to the Mental Health Week theme “Open Your Mind”.

She described mental health as “a state of well-being,” and told those present that the exhibition was a competition with a People’s Choice and there would be an announcement of a winner tomorrow.

She urged visitors to participate by helping create a chalk Mandala at the entrance to the facility and to add their own cartoons to those of Hore on the heavy  white hospital sheets adorning the walls.

Hore told “CityNews” that he specialised in cartooning with youth and communities, but had recently enjoyed a day cartooning for  “Pizza and Politics” at Dendy Cinemas.

It remained for Associate Professor Daniel Nicholls, Clinical Chair in Mental Health Nursing from the University of Canberra and a professional philosopher, to address the questions, where is art situated? How is art expressed and how is art animate us?

In a speech that took on Oscar Wilde’s famous assertion that “life imitates art,” Professor Nicholls explored the contrasting ideas about whether art is  external to us or internal. A full transcript of his speech will appear at citynews.com.au later today.

“Art From The Inside,” October 10-11 at the Adult Mental Health Unit, entry offBateson Rd (Directly Opposite the Multi Storey Canberra Hospital car park) until 4pm tomorrow (Thursday).