Shades of Blue

Shades of Blue BY ISABELLA CONEGLIO ILLUSTRTIONS BY ZOE GEISS PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

“I put my heart and soul into my work and lost my mind in the process.” -Vincent Van Gogh

Understanding the undeniable relation between mental health and art is important. Artists often project and display their mental health through their pieces, allowing themselves to explore emotional creativity, which has the power to heal certain traumas and psychological wounds.

Artwork tends to be the translation and expression of emotion onto sheet music or on canvases. Throughout history, mental illness has been projected through paintings, music, and literature by many acclaimed artists. An extremely prominent artist who displayed mental illnesses through his artwork is Vincent Van Gogh, who, throughout his lifetime, experienced anxiety and bipolar disorder.

Van Gogh had depicted himself in raw lighting through his paintings. In addition to two selfportraits of him with his bandaged ear, which he personally cut off, Van Gogh created “Still life with a plate of onions.” This piece was colorfully flattering but when studied closer, the use of his personal belongings clearly displayed his internal feelings. Across the oil-based canvas lay his pipe and tobacco. Placed next to those items is a handbook, an empty bottle of absinthe, and a letter written by Theo, his younger brother with whom he frequently discussed his art. Van Gogh experienced mental illness until his death in July of 1890. Another influential artist of the 20th century was Pablo Picasso, who had bipolar disorder,

numerous anxiety disorders, and depressive episodes. This can be directly seen in most, if not all of his work. Considered his most famous period of painting, Picasso’s “Blue Period” is thought to be reflective of his mental state at the time. With cold tones darkening each brush stroke, this period from 1902 to 1904 directly represented his emotional state. Pieces like “The Old Guitarists,” “The Tragedy,” and “The Blue Room” express his desperation and lack of hope. Soon after this, Picasso’s darkened outlook gave rise to his “Rose Period,” which took place between 1904 and 1906. During this time, colors bled from blue to warmer reds and pinks. It was during this time, through pieces filled with a ravishing array of soft colors like “Woman with Loaves” and “Garçon à la Pipe,” that he found a healing light from the darkness of his life.

Throughout history, mental illness has been depicted through various art forms, most predominantly, music. For most of her young life, Billie Eilish, a self-made artist and pop culture phenomenon, has experienced mental illness.

PICASSO’S BLUE PERIOD

The Old Guitarist, 1903–04

The Tragedy, 1903

The Blue Room, 1901

PICASSO’S ROSE PERIOD

Garçon à la pipe, 1905

Eilish has relayed such feelings in her music from the beginning of its production. Through songs like “TV,” “Ocean Eyes,” and “BORED,” she has expressed her rawest forms of grief, depression, and self-depreciation. She connects with her fans by singing about her irregular relationships, body dysmorphia, and outlook on society. Similarly to Van Gogh, Eilish has left underlying symbolism of her mental state in her artwork, leaving it up to the viewer to interpret its meaning.

Singer and songwriter, Demi Lovato, has been vulnerable in the media regarding their mental health. They were diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 18 and have experienced alcoholism for most of their adult life. Over the last decade, Lovato has since used their platform to express themself and become an inspiration to others. More recently, Lovato released their hit song “Sober,” which depicts a story of their ongoing struggle with substance abuse. Much like Picasso, Lovato has expressed their struggle, relapse, and ultimately, their redemption through their art. One can acknowledge the vast healing that comes with creative freedom. Artistic expression may act as a medicine for some, while for other individuals, it allows a connection with the world. This is a world in which they express themselves, their emotions, and experiences freely. Art, in all of its forms, is a universal language for every voice. Ultimately, a correlation between mental illness and creative freedom is apparent throughout human history. It is through an artist’s depiction of emotion, experience, and life that we further connect with the art itself. In more ways than one, art has left our society with an opportunity to connect with one another.

PHOTO CREDIT: INTERSCOPE RECORDS

PHOTO CREDIT: TIDAL

PHOTO CREDIT: MASON POOLE