Depression, anxiety, angst, grief and loneliness: despite its frequent occurrence in people’s lives and attempts to destigmatize mental health, we still find it difficult to discuss psychological distress. Yet for centuries, the darker and more complex parts of our psyches – from generalized low spirits to diagnosable mental health conditions – have served as an inspiration to artists who have depicted these very human experiences with sensitivity, nuance and empathy.

The connection between creativity and mental illnesses has been a source of interest towards researchers for years. Mental illnesses have a large impact on the sufferer’s creativity and how they express themselves. Many household names in the art world have dealt with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, mania, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. These illnesses and their impacts are visible in some of the world’s most famous paintings, literature, etc.

To celebrate World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2021, we were calling creative minds across Indonesia to share their masterpiece for our Art Illustration Competition. We invited Irwan Wantja and Androdia Lazulda (@agenculun) as judges of the Competition.