Destigmatization
The project, created at Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital, deals with the issue of discrimination and prejudice towards people with mental illnesses and disorders. It
It consists of three segments: the video installation De-stigma (2010) and Within (2012) and the action and intervention in public space Vrapče Pillows (2013−2015)
1. ON SCHIZOPHRENIA (De-stigma)
Video installation, 2010.
The project was implemented in collaboration with persons diagnosed with schizophrenia, a chronic mental illness, who experienced various forms of stigmatisation upon leaving Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital. The project simultaneously branches into two directions.
The project simultaneously branches into two directions. It seeks to provoke and raise the society’s awareness in order to change the perception of persons with mental illnesses. These illnesses are not a phaenomenon outside of society; the afflicted individuals are part of the society and should be provided with the possibility to find their own position within it.
The second segment is aimed at empowering the afflicted individuals to become actors of the destigmatisation process themselves. The aim is to find ways for them to talk about the issues themselves, as well as the possible solutions and mistakes made consciously or unconsciously by the society in relation to them.
Project realization: Darko Krakar (camera), Ivan Mihoci (sound), Maida Srabović (editing), Vedran Metelko (photography), Dejan Dragosavac – Ruta (design). Production: Kontejner | Bureau of Contemporary Art Praxis, 2010
2. Within
Video installation, 2012
The project was realized in the psychiatric hospital Vrapče in Zagreb in cooperation with people diagnosed with severe depressive disorder and prof. Dubravka Stijačić.
The topic of the project are persons diagnosed with major depressive disorder. For six months, the artist participated in group therapy for clinically depressed women patients at a psychiatric hospital and studied the issue of mental disorder from a gender perspective. (According to data of the World Health Organisation, it is estimated that depression will become one of the most widespread health problems and will take second place on the list of the most common causes of death. Women are twice as susceptible to severe depression as men.) The project consists of a video record taken during psychotherapy with women patients and interviews with women specialists. The patients speak of the causes, symptoms, consequences of the illness, as well as treatments.
The visitors are invited to join therapy by taking a seat in the space of the installation.
Project realization: Hrvoje Ramadža (camera), Igor Kožić & Hrvoslava Brkušić (editing). Production: Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, 2012
3. VRAPČE PILLOWS
Actions and interventions in public space
The pillows were made by patients of Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital so as to encourage dialogue on the issue of stigmatisation of mentally ill persons.
The promotion of the pillows through a media campaign serves as a public talk on the taboo subject of the psychiatric hospital, its patients, and mental illnesses
The project was created in collaboration with Dubravka Stijačić, Vlatka Prstačić (creative workshop manager) and the design team Kuna Zlatica (Zlatka Salopek and Ana Kunej).
The audience participation takes on two forms. They could “invite” a pillow through the project’s website http://www.vrapci.org/ and bring it to office, school, on a trip, parties, meetings, restaurants, sports matches, etc., and post the photographs with the pillow on the project’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vrapci.org/. Later, they could also buy a pillow after the Facebook action had ended. The money went directly to the Association for Psychosocial Assistance and Rehabilitation, seated at Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital to provide assistance to the patients.
Due to public interest, the action was repeated twice: in 2014 on Facebook, and in 2015 at the exhibition at Forum Gallery, where the process of making the pillows was recreated. The visitors of the exhibition were invited to take part in making the pillows. Proceeds from the sale went to the Association for Psychosocial Assistance and Rehabilitation. In creative workshops at the Hospital and following the end of the project, the patients continued to make pillows that can be purchased at the Hospital.
Project realization: Hrvoje Bielen (web design), Ivica Hrg (web programming), Sanja Baković (media campaign), Irena Bekić (text), Ana Kovačić (coordination of part of the project), Vanja Šolin, Damir Žižić and Ivo Martinović (photographs). Production: MAPA Association, 2013 – 2015