As we bid goodbye to Mental Health Awareness Month in October, it’s crucial to maintain the momentum of this vital dialogue, especially in regions like Asia where mental health stigma is deeply ingrained. The unfortunate association of mental health challenges with a sense of shame in many Asian cultures often prevents individuals from speaking out about their struggles or seeking the help they need. This situation is worsened by an insufficient supply of mental health resources, including services, facilities, and professionals.
This is where increased awareness, exposure, and education can play a pivotal role in empowering those grappling with mental health issues, providing them the liberty to exist, occupy space, and have their voices heard.
Creative innovation agency RGA took an innovative step towards this direction, launching a first-of-its-kind generative AI exhibition to portray the authentic experiences of living with mental health disorders. In partnership with the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), the exhibition was curated by eight Singaporeans living with various mental health conditions. They used prompted truths to generate eight potent art pieces that gave voice to their lived experiences.
The exhibition, titled ‘Prompting Feelings’, aimed to fill a gap in the public arena – the visualisation and representation of the intricate and often misunderstood thoughts experienced by those living with mental health conditions.
Ed Cheong, executive creative director for RGA Singapore, highlighted that the project was not about the output of Generative AI, but rather the outcome. He emphasized that technology can enable everyone, including those with mental health disorders, to express their innermost feelings through art. The goal of the exhibition was to enhance understanding and empathy towards mental health disorders, thus improving mental health literacy.
Besides showcasing the key visuals of the exhibition, RGA also launched a microsite titled ‘Prompting Feelings’. The site provides information about the artwork, the artists, and mental health prompts to encourage viewers to delve into their thoughts and emotions.
The process of putting together the exhibition involved in-depth closed-door interviews with each participant, aiming to gain a better understanding of their struggles, experiences, hopes, and dreams. These conversations then led to the prompted feelings that accurately depict each artist’s unique story.
Recent statistics by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) reveal that poor mental health is the second largest contributor to years lost due to disability. A growing percentage of the adult population across Asia are experiencing a diagnosable mental illness. Meanwhile, the State of Wellbeing report by lululemon shows that while 64% of people in the APAC region consider wellbeing as their top priority, 90% reported themselves as being unable to achieve their desired state.
As we move forward, it’s essential to remember that conversation, understanding, and empathy are the keys to improving mental health literacy and breaking down barriers of stigma. After all, mental health is as important as physical health, and no one should have to suffer in silence.
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