Author: Lexine Glover - Student at The Becket Sixth Form
At first glance I didn’t think much of the exhibition; “how can an exhibition relate depression to comic books?” and wondered how such a link could be explored. However, my work experience week with Professor Elvira Perez required me to write a blog post about it. So, despite my initial inertia, I decided to engage with the art.
I began with the first set of short comic strips and their accompanying descriptions, part of the "Making Connections 2024" exhibition, a collaboration between young creatives, graphic/digital design students, and artist Liam Mills. Little did I know, this would be the start of a surprisingly insightful journey into the power and beauty of art.
The initial introduction invited me to reflect: “how can we support young people with their mental health”. My initial thoughts were the usual responses—talk to friends, parents, counsellors, or ChildLine. However, this exhibition presented an alternative medium, suggesting that art, especially comics, can open up vulnerable conversations in intimate ways. Art Teacher Cara Bean explained how comics break down complex ideas into digestible pieces, helping us visualize abstract concepts like anxiety that may otherwise be difficult to conceptualize. To my left, a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, A Haunted Girl, caught my attention. It depicted a young girl struggling with her mental health and reality, alongside her father who, despite his love, struggles to communicate effectively. I’m sure many of us have experienced the gutting feeling of being misunderstood by the people we love, and the beauty of the novel is that it allows us to visualise this experience first-hand, and draw comparisons to our own nuanced experiences. As Naomi (the inspiration for the main character) said, “it helped me to explore feelings I didn’t really know how to articulate”.
Artworks by Ali Jeffries - 'The Broken' & 'The Beautiful'
As my interest grew, I continued walking and found myself fascinated by what I would consider my favourite piece by neurodivergent artist Ali Jeffries - The Broken & The Beautiful. One is a fiery, burnt collage of deep charcoal & slate bricks, with hints of orange cracking through and a blazing, rageful sun, whilst the other is a lake of blues and teals, flowing through valleys of silvery greys and pastels and a spiral sun reminiscent of Van Gogh’s starry night. Accompanying the pieces was an infographic on Colour Psychology, which deepened my interpretation of the collages. The charcoal blacks of The Broken could represent negativity and oppression, however cracking through this outer shell were orange notes of vitality and fun. The Beautiful seemed peaceful, with its calming blues and greys, but could also symbolize the deceptive nature of joy—something that may look pleasant on the surface but feels dull and monotonous underneath. Ironically, I couldn’t decide which piece was more beautiful. There was undeniable beauty in The Beautiful, but there was something deeply compelling about The Broken—the beauty of expressing negative emotions, knowing that a brighter orange day may lie ahead.
The exhibition’s grand finale was the collaborative work Crooked Seams, which drew inspiration from gothic graphic novels and horror icons (Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands etc) to create a mental health oriented, uniquely illustrated and structurally unconventional story about a protagonist Victoria’s self-discovery. I felt many themes of grief and acceptance of flaw, and Liam Mills described the project as a “labour of love for all involved”. It’s diverse imaging and easy-to-follow story helped encapsulated the essence of the exhibition – creating a safe space for young people to have those sensitive conversations. And though I had no one to converse with, I could have talked for hours about what was a stimulating, innovative exploration of vulnerability.
Attendees at the exhibition looking at the comic book 'Crooked Seams', taken by photographer Emma Ford
More information about the exhibition can be found on the Institute website