Art as Healing

One of my happy places in Dakar. Created over 20 years ago, the art therapy space - l'Atelier d'EX-pression - at the psychiatric clinic in Fann hospital is unique....

In Senegal, as in many parts of the world, mental health remains a sensitive and often stigmatized topic. Individuals facing severe mental illnesses frequently encounter societal exclusion, while those grappling with everyday anxieties often remain unseen.

Since 2019, I've had the privilege of collaborating with the Atelier d'EX-pression, a sanctuary for collective expression, connection, and healing located within the psychiatric clinic of Fann Hospital in Dakar. Under the guidance of artist and art therapist Alassane Seck, this space has welcomed both inpatients and outpatients since 1999, offering them a platform to explore their emotions and experiences through art.

Beyond serving as a therapeutic haven, the Atelier also brings patients' creations into the public eye. Their artworks have been showcased in esteemed events such as the Biennale de Dakar 2022, the Biennale in Lyon 2023, and the Wellbeing Summit Dakar-Thiès 2023, challenging societal perceptions and celebrating the creative voices of those living with mental illness.

I assist in group art therapy sessions, mobilize funding to support the Atelier's initiatives, curated exhibitions of patients' paintings, and engage with media outlets to raise awareness about mental health issues in Senegal. The Atelier's associative arm, RESCAP'ART, continually seeks partners to co-create impactful projects:

• Funding for essential art supplies.

• Organizing exhibitions to display and celebrate patients' artworks.

• Envisioning a permanent gallery dedicated to art created by individuals living with mental illnesses.

  
  

A heartfelt thank you to the Luxembourg Embassy in Dakar for their unwavering support, including organizing exhibitions during the Dakar Biennale in 2022 and 2024, and producing a film focused on the reintegration of people living with mental illness.

Are you passionate about the power of the arts to support mental health?

For more insights into our work and to explore opportunities for collaboration, please go to Art for Mental Health and Transform your Community.

#transformyourlife #transformyourcommunity #artformentalhealth #mentalhealth #expressiveartstherapy #transformativecoaching #onesingingheart