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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61 Westminster Bridge Rd, London, SE1 7HT

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CoolTan Artists worked at the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre and used the environment of Elephant & Castle to explore in the broadest possible sense what Black History Month might mean in a multicultural environment.

CoolTan Arts would like to thank Morley College, and in particular Kathleen McLauchlan, Lena Augustinson and Jane Hartwell for organising this exhibition.

Map and Directions for Morley College

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Walkers were welcomed by Michelle Baharier, Chief Executive of CoolTan Arts, the Mayor of Lambeth, Christopher Wellbelove, past mayor of Southwark Bob Skelly, London Assembly member and deputy chief of Transport Valerie Shawcross and TV Chef Rosemary Shrager. All the speakers highlighted the importance of art and walking on everyone’s mental health and well being, the social element of a community walk and how it can help people overcome barriers and stigma.

Everyone who completed the whole walk celebrated their achievements with home-made cakes, performances by actress Julie McNamara, poetry by Peter Cox, Phil Ruthen, Maggie Sullivan and a raffle drawn by Rosemary Shrager.

David Morris, Disability Advisor to the Mayor seconded to the London Olympic Organising team until 2012, and great supporter of CoolTan Arts, joined the walkers at Tate Modern and called CoolTan Arts Largactyl Shuffle as a “great example of how we celebrate diversity” and hopes that CoolTan Arts’ Sponsored Walk in 2012 will be the biggest Largactyl Shuffle ever with thousands of people celebrating diversity.

Sanae El-Mahboub, CoolTan Arts volunteer, says about the walk: I loved the sponsored walk this morning it was GREAT! I really enjoyed myself, I liked the talks about all the history of the various places we passed, the fantastic poetry that was read and I am really looking forward to the next one.

CoolTan Arts is grateful to all the walkers that joined this year, the support it received and want to thank all the walkers and volunteers that helped to make an unforgettable event.

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Have a look at www.afunnyfarm.org.uk for inspiration.

If interested, please contact Kathrin at CoolTan Arts on 020 77012696 or kathrin@cooltanarts.org.uk.

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