Manjimup Art Gallery hosts Depth of Field exhibition and explores ‘raw’ reality of mental health issues

Powerful visual portraits that explore the reality of mental health line the walls of the Manjimup Art Gallery for the month of June. Captured by photographer Steve Wise and health humanities researcher Associate Professor Gabrielle Brand, the Depth of Field: Exploring Minds, Hearts and Voice exhibition recounts the honest and raw reality of living and recovering from mental health issues. As a medical and creative portrait photographer Mr Wise said he feeds his personal love of art, creativity and visual narrative through his fine-art portraiture, “thriving” on the collaborative approach to reflective learning. Each of the portraits follow a new type of health humanities research — Depth of Field — which uses different art styles, magnetic resonance imaging and patient narratives to help health professionals better understand individual mental health issues. Professor Brand, who is also a nurse and teacher said she holds a special interest in narrative medicine, health humanities and creative pedagogy. A new “consumer-driven”, reflective learning resource Depth of Field understands mental health consumers as “experts of their own lives” and their own recovery experiences, encouraging patients through the stories of strength and possibility portrayed in each portrait.