Inside a creative space on Jamaica Street, a papier-mache model became the carrier of emotions to depict Anna Rees’ struggle with mental health.
Her debut exhibition ‘SHADE‘ at Kit Form expressed, in a tangible form, her struggles with mental health and the process of her recovery.
The art piece was constructed of personal debris collected during the worst period of her depression, consisting of old mental health journals, shopping lists, council tax letters, and many half-finished crosswords from sleepless nights – all of which visitors were invited to walk through.
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The papier-mache made of Anna’s personal papers was moulded with ridges to mimic the bark of a tree – photo: Anna Rees
Walking through the papier-mache tunnel, designed to resemble an uprooted tree, visitors felt like being surrounded by a soundscape of Anna’s internal dialogue intercut with clips from songs and pop culture.
“My voice and the songs play off each other,” said Anna, when speaking to Bristol24/7. “I wanted it to be like the experience of being in someone’s brain, having those different sorts of contradicting feelings and thoughts of trying to be okay but not really feeling okay.”
Anna continued: “There’s a progression as you walk down the tunnel, starting off with an anxious, if not somewhat sarcastic, inner voice and then moving towards a more positive place.”
Reflecting on the feedback to their show, Anna was amazed by how many people related to the portrayal of their personal struggles.
She said: “Actually one of the nice things that people have said about it was that it really reminded them of how they felt, and like it was as if I was in their brain, which I wasn’t expecting. [… ] I felt this piece was so personal and specific to me, whereas actually we’re all thinking this separately and just not talking about it.”
Visitors could walk through a papier-mache tunnel at Anna’s debut exhibition – photo: Anna Rees
For Anna, the journey back to creating art after a period of depression and anxiety began not in a studio, but in a discussion group, where she rediscovered “community” as a significant turning point for her mental health.
She said: “I went to Bristol Queerants, a queer discussion group that started off at Easton Community Centre.
“I remember vividly standing outside, like doing the nervous thing of like, am I going to be brave enough to go in. I don’t know how many people are going to be there. I don’t know what it’s going to be like.
“Should I just turn around and go home?”
The journey through the installation was around 8 minutes – photo: Joss Thomas
But once she did go in and experience being part of the group, she recalled it being “amazing” and now having lifelong friends from the group, whom she continues to meet.
“I think the group was pivotal for me, feeling hope again had a chain effect on me being able to make this work in the first place and be out there,” said Anna. “In terms of just getting well and liking myself enough to put something out there in the world and letting go of the self-consciousness and feelings of shame.”
She continued: “Being embedded locally and creating those connections… it makes you feel more sane. Everyone’s dealing with different stuff, and any community thing where you can come together and talk about it just grounds you again.”
As well as community spaces, Anna also commended those at Kit Form: “They’ve been amazing at both managing to make me feel really supported in terms of how it would work and using the space, but they also want artists who exhibit there to be in charge of their own space.
“So, you know, I had that sense of independence regarding putting this thing on, which felt really empowering.”
Looking into the future, Anna wants to turn the focus towards creating a collaborative sound piece featuring the voices of the Bristol community.
Anna said: “What I’m thinking now is to do a piece where it’s not about my voice, but do another sound piece with interviews of people in and around Bristol about their experience of mental health or their experience of community.
“Maybe incorporating their favourite song or what they put on when they’re feeling crap, and then creating something that brings all these different voices together. I haven’t quite worked it out yet, but there’s something there.”
Main photo: Joss Thomas
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