Humanities and Social Science Research; Vol. 4, No. 4; 2021 ISSN 2576-3024 E-ISSN 2576-3032 https://doi.org/10.30560/hssr.v4n4p42 42 Published by IDEAS SPREAD Mental Health Perceptions from Artwork Alexei Sammut 1 , Paulann Grech 1 , Michael Galea 1 , Margaret Mangion 2 & Josianne Scerri 1 1 Department of Mental Health, University of Malta, Malta 2 The Edward de Bono Institute for Creative Thinking and Innovation, University of Malta, Malta Correspondence: Alexei Sammut, Department of Mental Health, University of Malta, Malta. Tel: 356-2340-1185. E-mail: alexei.sammut um.edu.mt Received: December 6, 2021; Accepted: December 20, 2021; Published: December 23, 2021 Abstract The relationship between artwork and mental health has been the subject of various research endeavours. Whilst artwork has been long used as a means of emotional expression, it is also a method of raising mental health awareness. In this study, an art collection was presented to depict the challenges faced by many individuals living with a mental illness. Through a series of open-ended questions, twenty-nine participants were requested to give a title to each piece and to describe the perceived message and emotions related to each painting. The thematic analysis process of the participants’ descriptions led to the identification of three themes, namely those of Darkness, Solitude and Recovery. Whilst congruence was often observed between the participants themselves and between the viewers and the artist, discrepancies were also noted. Artwork can be an important medium in addressing stigma and in guiding reflections on mental health topics. Keywords: aesthetics, mental health, artwork 1. Introduction and Background 1.1 Art and Emotions An important characteristic of aesthetic experiences is their capacity to elicit emotions in observers (Paasschen et al., 2015). In this view, research effort has been dedicated to understand the exact mechanisms that are involved in the process of perceiving and interpreting artwork. One aspect of this research has focused on the composition and form of the image itself and their role in the ability to evoke an emotional response. For instance, the colour composition and the linear-mark direction of the picture are elements that can trigger specific emotions in the viewer (Hodges, 2015). Thus, lighter colours tend to be associated with more positive emotions whilst chaotic lines may suggest agitation (Gail, 2017). Notably, the tone of artwork does not simply suggest an emotion but often results in bodily changes within the perceiver. For instance, in their study, Leder et al. (2012) reported how participants, displayed more frowning when viewing images with a negative emotional tone whilst smiling more when being presented with emotionally positive work. Furthermore, in another study by Gatti et al. (2018), the study sample experienced greater levels of arousal (as indicated by higher skin conductance) when viewing stirring images. Whilst research on the emotion-related characteristics of artwork and the viewers’ general experience, is in abundance, few studies have delved deeper into the inner affective experience of the observer (Pelowski et al., 2017). The current study attempts to contribute to this gap. 1.2 Art and Mental Health The link between mental health and artwork has often been described in the literature (Gail, 2017; Rothenberg, 2015). Commonly this refers either to individuals expressing their mental health distress or professionals who utilise art-based interventions as a means of support. Artists' feelings, opinions, ideals, and emotions are inextricably reflected in their work – and in some cases, purposefully portrayed (Rustin, 2008). In fact, Mark Rothko, Edvard Munch, and Bernard Buffet all claimed that their work represented their dysthymia whilst the works of Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Jackson Pollock have been interpreted as portraying aspects of mental disturbance (Rustin, 2008; Sahiti, 2017). The art collection that features in the current study is part of the series Living with Mental Illness by Anthony Calleja, who is an internationally acclaimed Maltese artist. It consisted of 17 paintings depicting the various challenges that many individuals living with a mental illness face on a daily basis such as stigma, bullying and