Organised by CoolTan Arts to celebrate World Mental Health Day, which takes place annually on October 10, the Altered States exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery, explores themes relating to changes in the way people feel, see or think.

Artists from CoolTan Arts, have been working with artists from the Dulwich Picture Gallery to produce art work for the exhibition.

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Louisa Nicholl, one of the CoolTan artists wrote a poem entitled Harvest, on which she based her artwork for the exhibition.

She said: “I was absolutely amazed at how everybody’s idea of an altered state was interpreted in totally different ways – it was a lovely process to watch my poem become a print.”

Kathrin Kirrmann, communications officer at the CoolTan Arts said: “CoolTan Arts’ Altered States exhibition celebrates World Mental Health Day, a world wide and a unified effort to promote greater public awareness and understanding of mental health and mental illness.

“With its arts activities and in particular the Altered States exhibition, CoolTan Arts aims to break down barriers and challenge the stigma associated with mental distress.

“Altered States was chosen as a way to encourage a greater focus on what mental health actually is.

“While it might include the taking of illicit drugs or the spiritual transcendent space of a mystic or shaman, the term Altered States equally relates to psychotic episodes, auditory illusions and how prescription drugs impede on ones mental health as does death.

“One in four people experience mental ill health at any one time.
CoolTan Arts asks: what is good mental health?”

The Altered States Exhibition at the Linbury Room, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD, ran from Saturday October 3 to October 9 2009.

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