Our Power is a Mental Health Foundation project exploring the mental health impact of racism, particularly racial microaggressions, through creative peer support workshops. The artwork created is now on display at an exhibition in one of Glasgow’s most iconic galleries; the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA).
In most cases, I just ignore it [my experiences of racist microaggressions] because it feels safer than to talk about it. But once you get to hear other people’s stories, you realise it’s worth it to share.
These workshops came at a time when I was not in a good place at all. A lot was changing in my life and there was a lot of uncertainty. The workshops gave me a lot of release. Going out, meeting others, discussing important topics. I felt very lucky to be there.
I’m not an artist at all but I felt a freedom to express myself in any way I could. It was really beneficial for me, more than anything else.
The Our Power project
Over the past year people with lived experience of racism came together for artist-led workshops in textiles, zines, haiku with drawing and painting, and installations. Discussions about the impact of racism on mental health were an important part of the workshops. A safe space was created for people to share their own experiences. This led to practical sessions where the groups were taught various techniques, and they worked to create art that expressed their feelings and responded to the racism they have experienced.
Art forms included textiles, zines, haiku with drawing and painting, and installations. Over the past year, the project participants have created artworks, and these have now been co-curated to become the Our Power exhibition displayed in the COMMONspace of the gallery of Modern Art until 12 January 2025.
How do racism and racial microaggressions impact mental health?
Racism is a mental health issue because racism causes trauma. And trauma can contribute to the development and worsening of mental ill health.
All forms of racism and discrimination can erode self-confidence and lead to self-doubt, making us question our identity and our place in the world. Experiences of racism can impact mental health by causing feelings of shame and lower self-worth, feelings of hopelessness, exhaustion, anxiety and feeling you must always be on guard against future incidents, sadness, depression, distress and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.
A racial microaggression is less obvious than overt racist language or actions. The perpetrator may not even be aware of their actions or the damage they are inflicting. Even though the language or acts can be subtle, they cause harm to those on the receiving end. Particularly because it is a regular occurrence in the lives of Black and minority ethnic communities and can leave people frustrated, confused and distressed. Examples of racial microaggressions can include people making assumptions about your knowledge or abilities based on your race, casual use of derogatory slurs, “jokes”, continuous mispronunciation of people’s names, or excluding people.
Creating the exhibition
We worked with the brilliant Learning and Access Team at the Gallery of Modern Art throughout this project. We were also delighted to have five fantastic arts and a curator to lead workshops and help develop the exhibition:
- Anna Bochsler (textiles) is an artist, maker and facilitator who works with a range of materials to explore the interactions between art, mental health, and the physical world. Anna’s practice is motivated by social justice and promoting the importance of arts in mental health and community care.
- Dr Emmaleena Kakkela (zines) is a Lecturer in Social Policy at University of Strathclyde, with a PhD in Social Policy. Emmaleena is passionate about utilising art-based methods to address social justice and making art and knowledge production inclusive to groups which these have traditionally excluded.
- Bryony Nisbet (zines) is a mental health practitioner and researcher focused on evidence-based solutions for strengthening policy and practice relating to welcoming refugees and improving mental health outcomes. Bryony is currently working on several creative projects including a PhD project with forcibly displaced lone parents.
- Sarmed Mirza (haiku with drawing and painting) is British-Asian multi-disciplinary artist with a background in film & television. Playful curiosity and experimentation are the cornerstones of Sarmed’s art practice. He and his work “raise our vibration”, help us connect to and celebrate our human condition.
- Fadzai Mwakutuya (lampshade installation) is a visual artist and curator based on an off-grid peninsula in Westeross, Highlands. Exclusion drew Fadzai into the arts, as she discovered the lack of Black and POC professional artists. Her company, Afro Art Lab, promotes cross-cultural creative work, mainly between Zimbabwe and Scotland.
- Mia Gubbay (co-curation planning and support) is a socially engaged curator and arts/heritage consultant whose work centres collaborative practice and community-led creative dialogue. She frequently works with themes relating to migration, legacies of imperialism, forms of healing and the collective re-imagining of place.
See Our Power at the Gallery of Modern Art until 12 January 2025
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