Author Archives: meera3.balendran

Untitled

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Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick building

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick building

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Photograph of a brick wall

Artist: Jeanette Ogalino
Year: pre-2010
Medium: Photographs
Artist Statement: These photographs were taken during a tour of the patient built wall at CAMH, 1001 Queen St. W. in 2009. The southern section of the wall was built in 1860, by unpaid psychiatric patient labourers from what was then the Provincial Lunatic Asylum (now CAMH). The east and west walls were torn down and rebuilt in 1888-1889. In 2007, restoration work was completed on the remaining brick walls, in part by the paid labour of present-day CAMH clients.

Birdsong Silenced

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Digital image of birds by a lake with speech bubbles.

Digital image of birds by a lake with speech bubbles.

Digital image of birds by a lake with speech bubbles.

Artist: Jennifer Sieberg
Year: pre-2010
Medium: Digital Images
Artist Statement: This triptych of images represents how the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders taints the nursing perspective. The birds are the people in a community, each with their unique life stories. The birdwatchers are mental health nurses, observing and listening to the consumers’ life experiences and how it affects their story. The birdcages in the final image represent the confining nature of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). The DSM has relatively concrete sets of criteria required for each mental health diagnosis, and once a survivor is diagnosed, her/his story becomes encaged by the disease. After diagnosis, it is often difficult for healthcare practitioners to clearly hear the survivor’s story without considering that affixed label. Within the cage, many survivors find it difficult to remove the self-stigma associated with a diagnosis from the DSM.

Sunflowers

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Photograph of a painting of sunflowers with real leaves in front.

Dried leaves on paper that form a sunflower.

Artist: Danielle Landry
Year: pre-2010
Medium: Dried leaves on paper; Photograph
Artist Statement: CAMH’s decision to beautify the exterior of their drab cement walls with photographs of sunflowers, rather than something natural, such as growing real flowers, is telling. Rather than put in the effort to nurture, care for and maintain something real, a quick fix solution is adopted to mask what isn’t acceptable. I find their approach to landscaping reflective of their approach to treatment; medicate rather than dedicate the time and resources necessary to provide ‘clients’ with proper care. In response, I’ve made my own sunflower, out of things that grow naturally.