To Be Woman To Be Woman

Written by Ava Franzoy

Art is a powerful tool that can depict complex issues. Kenzie Felkins, an art student, composed a collection that expressed the journey of a young woman growing up with mental illness.

Felkins’ collection, “To Be Woman,” was inspired by a personal piece that captured her transition between childhood and adulthood.

The show took place on Feb. 10 and highlighted her ability to work with a variety of mediums including painting, collage, video, and sculpture. The pieces provided viewers with an opportunity to observe the perspective of a woman who has struggled with mental illness.

One in five women experiences common mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression, according to the Agenda Alliance.

Erica Cofer, a psychology major, provided further insight into the statistic.

“Women are more likely to have mental illness from environmental stressors and internalizing emotions, most likely from societal roles. Anxiety and depression are some of the most common ones as well as trauma/stress-related disorders,” Cofer said.

Felkins’ vulnerability and willingness to highlight mental health is important to all women but particularly those who may feel reluctant to open up about their own experiences.

“The show is very personal but also societal because not everything resonates with me directly. It is historical in the way that women carry the pain of women that came before them,” Felkins said.

“Not Feeling Very Good” is a video stitched together from various other works on the internet and took Felkins nearly two weeks to complete.

“At the time when I made the piece it was personally relevant to me,” Felkins said.

The parallel between her works captures the complexity of mental illness because the show acknowledged the lows and highs of the female experience. While a majority of her pieces confessed a struggle, glimpses of hope were sprinkled throughout. The pieces that evoke positive emotions served as a form of relief for those who feel permanently down.

By showcasing mental illness through a medium like art, it begins to become destigmatized. Women have been conditioned, by the media and the public, to view mental illness as something negative and even isolating. Felkins combated this by turning her experience into something beautiful and productive.

The show, although containing dark undertones, included pieces that evoked feelings of joy such as “Sir Bunny Hops A Lot,” an adorable stuffed bunny made from recycled fabric and lentils.

His bright presence, which appeared to be an ode to feelings of safety and of childhood starkly contrasted with other pieces such as “Not Feeling Very Good,” which Felkins said, “is about the fall into depression and what it means to be a woman with mental illness.”