Frozen Frames | Mental Instability

For my HSC art body of work last year I created a series of photographs exploring the theme of mental instability and the world inside the mind. I'm really interested in psychology (and hope to study it someday) and how common mental illness really is in our society today, particularly in youth. Yet despite how common it is there are still so many misconceptions and strong stigmas about it.

I wanted the images to evoke emotions in the viewers, helping them to hopefully identify with and better understand the way in which the world looks through mental illness.

*A set of photos from my HSC art body of work entitled 'Frozen Frames'

The series explores the theme of mental instability and the world inside the mind. 

The Night Sky

As a child the night sky was my great mystery. I would stare out at it through my bedroom window way past bedtime, trying to comprehend it. How big the universe was, how far away the stars were, the shape of the moon that night.. I would gaze for hours, just dreaming and thinking and praying.

Though as the years have passed, I've grown too busy, too tired, and forgetful to take the time out to stare at the stars. Which got me thinking about how much I don't take the time out to just think, to appreciate a moment or the places around us. I'm constantly stuck in my own mind; what I need to do next and different situations that are happening.

There's so much to see, and just sit and appreciate, right outside in our backyards, and I feel that we're missing it. Too caught up in our phones and computers to see it. I think there's huge value in taking the time out to sit and think. Stepping outside of our little worlds and appreciating the big one.

I'd like to challenge myself this week to take half an hour, or even just ten minutes, everyday to go for a walk, or sit on the grass under the shade of a tree, leaving my phone inside.To stare up at the sky once again, and wonder.
Let me know if you try it too?

\Beth