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New Exhibit Accompanies Documentary on Mental Illness at the MAG

Samara Doummande, "Brown Eyes"
Carlet Cleare
Samara Doummande, "Brown Eyes"

An annual Rochester film series - aiming to dispel the stigmas of mental illness - expands this year including artwork by artists suffering from mental health problems.

The Reel Mind Film Series at the Memorial Art Gallery will feature 50 pieces of artwork from the Mental Health Association's Creative Wellness Coalition. Veronica Weider is the director of the coalition. She says melding the art exhibit with the film series would help eliminate misconceptions and fears about mental illnesses.

"The statistics show that people with mental illness do not commit violent crimes any more than the quote-unquote normal population,” Weider says. “So I think it's important for us to understand about mental wellness relative to mental health and mental illness because most of us whether we'd like to think so or not are going to be touched by it."

The art exhibit accompanies a screening of "Crazy Art". It’s a nationally recognized documentary telling the story of three schizophrenic artists on their journey to self-discovery, acceptance and recovery.

The artwork will be on display until June 1.