Revolution

Revolution is the theme for the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2023. In the midst of turbulent political and economic times – we wanted to address the impact of economic barriers and social inequality on mental health, and ask ‘how can we do things differently?’.

We commissioned five artists to create new work addressing the theme of ‘revolution’. We were particularly looking for projects that posed a challenge to established ways of thinking.

The commissioned artists are:

Bircan Birol
Jamie Bolland
Jen McGregor
Keira McLean and Joey Simons
Lilith (Lea) Cooper

Their projects agitate for revolutionary approaches to mental healthcare, document real and imagined struggles around mental health, and ask what it might mean to build a revolution around communal self-care.

Find out more about their proposals here. The work will be published online during the festival from 4-22 October 2023.

Explore the artworks

Visual Arts

The Flood and the Fire

Artists and community educators Keira McLean and Joey Simons have created a revolutionary mixed-media montage and a pedagogical workbook.

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Four women posing on colourful chairs looking into the camera.

Film

we depend on each other

Four immigrant women discuss the mental health challenges they faced after arriving in Scotland in this short documentary by Bircan Birol.

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Candlesticks on a stand next to wall coated in dark red vintage wallpaper.

Digital

Be Nice to Yourself You Little Shit I Swear to God

Be Kind To Yourself You Little Shit I Swear To God is a humorous spoken word guided meditation by Jen McGregor for those of us who might know how to give gentleness but have no idea how to receive it.

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Jamie Bolland performing electronic music in his Mercurochrome costume including a tin foil headpiece

Digital

Untinned Animal

Jamie Bolland was commissioned to develop a processional performance and a series of downloadable pamphlets inspired by our ‘revolution’ theme.

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In the centre of the poster is a hand written large block text in black which reads ‘No One Way Works’. This quote is continued turning around the outside edges of the page, reading ‘It will take all of us shoving at the thing from all sides to bring it down - Diane di Prima.’ Around the central text is a border of 16 illustrations, which have a thin black outline, and are shaded in three shades of bright red. The illustrations are of: a razer blade; a bunch of Rosemary; a vial (like you would use for Oestrogen); a knotted rope; a pair of scissors; a crowbar; a wheatpaste brush; a balaclava; three round pills with smiley faces on; a spray paint can; a needle; a packet of prescription medications; bolt cutters;a lighter; a dildo; and a brick.

Visual Arts

An Archive of Propaganda from a Mad People’s Uprising

Lilith (Lea) Cooper is an artist, zine librarian and researcher based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They have created an archive of future propaganda exploring what a mad revolution would look like.

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