A
rt can be a powerful tool for change. It
can inspire with its beauty and creativity,
it can uplift with its poignancy, it can
reveal with its stark and sometimes
brutal honesty. Art can be transformative and
transportive in the space of a breath, in the blink
of an eye; with the stroke of a brush, the stroke of
a pen, or the click of a camera. And one of the
greatest things about Art is its ability to touch
everyone; rich or poor, black, white, or brown,
male or female or gender-neutral; Art does not
deny the viewer.
Following some of these basic sentiments an Art
Pop-up Exhibition called We Rise opened in Los
Angeles to an enthusiastic response. The
exhibition which displayed over 150 amazing
artists in a myriad of mediums presented a
platform for the community to address, discuss
and think about mental health through the arts.
We Rise was a project developed by the Los
Angeles County Department of Mental Health
with support from the Mental Health Services
Act. The event incorporated music, meditation,
workshops and some 50 hours of creative
programming.
That the exhibition was extended is a testimony
to the importance of the work and the message.
While the exhibition may have ended, the
discussion of mental health and how we deal with
it and other social issues as a society continues.
For more information or ways on how you can
lend your voice to the discussion and/or take
action you can connect with We Rise here.
Photos & Copy by Taido Genmyo
21
THE CONE - ISSUE #15 - 2018