Shaping the Unspoken: Mental Illness, Identity and Artistic Practice

How do you shape stories of mental health struggles when society seems to leave little room for your experiences? How do you create images and words that you wish you had seen and heard during times of mental distress? And what steps did LENZ subsequently take in developing Anatomy of a Suicide?

The conversation originates from the personal and artistic exchange between Erasmus Mackenna of LENZ and their sibling, artist and activist Esméemilja. Drawing from shared experiences of recovery, exploration of non-conventional identity and mental illness, they reflect on the themes explored in the performance. What does recovery mean in a world that often seems to have no place for those who deviate from the norm? How can art and activism contribute to a more inclusive society?

The conversation is intended as an intimate and reflective exchange, with room for input from everyone in the room. By bringing together intersectional perspectives – from art, activism and personal experience – we hope to explore new insights into how we as a society and artists can deal with mental distress and recovery. 

Moderator Berthe Spoelstra will engage in conversation with Erasmus, Esméemilja, Marit Hooijschuur, and Roel Pronk.

Accessibility and Language

The discussion will be held in English. While the performance Anatomy of a Suicide is performed in Dutch and cannot be surtitled due to the complexity of the material, we hope this panel discussion will provide an entryway for those who cannot experience the performance itself. It is therefore explicitly not a prerequisite to have seen Anatomy of a Suicide.