The representation of mental health in art has long been a subject of intrigue and often lay at the core of several artworks and artists throughout the years, with notable mentions being the works of Edvard Munch (1863-1944) and Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). 

With an increasing awareness on mental health, be it through a sociological, psychological or even artistic point of view, one may argue that this subject has emerged from the subtext of a painting and is now the subject of art in itself. As a result, one may argue this theme to be among the top tiers of thematic exploration in the late 20th and 21st century. 

Age of Loneliness

Endless Thinking is an exhibition of works by local artist Noel Attard (b. 1966), which engages with the theme of mental health from a psychological and physiognomic point of view. Through this exhibition, Attard experiments with abstraction in order to convey the inner struggles of man. 

Attard often explores different media, styles and techniques. At the basis of his art, he generally tends to express his own sense of the present and thus takes inspiration from multiple sources including art theory, philosophy, theology, politics, science and music. 

Noel Attard

Through this exhibition, Attard does not seek to visually illustrate narratives or episodes which he associates with mental illness but evokes a thorough sense of abstraction altogether. Through his abstractions, he takes a physiognomic approach, whereby he attempts to reveal a deeper truth to the psychological battles of man. 

Physiognomy, which is commonly defined as the study of how outwardly qualities and characteristics of a person may serve as an understanding to the inner personality, serves as the fundamental basis to this exhibition. 

Indannata

Without delving too deeply into the philosophy of physiognomy, it is imperative that this notion is rooted in the Aristotelian relationship of the body and soul. Succinctly, Aristotle views the relationship between the body and soul as an extension of the relationship between form and matter, where form parallels the soul and matter parallels the body. By understanding Aristotle’s relations, one may place this synergy at the very core of Endless Thinking and, likewise, at the core of the majority of art created about mental health. 

Attard does not seek to visually illustrate narratives or episodes which he associates with mental illness but evokes a thorough sense of emotion through abstraction. Through his own use of form and matter, consisting of oil paints, acrylics and hard metal, among other media, he attempts to reveal a raw, emotional and deeper truth to the psychological battles of man; battles which the outwardly appearance may not convey. 

The Beast

The subject of mental health is universal and, therefore, Attard’s works cannot convey one truth. For these reasons, Endless Thinking does not aim to evoke one set level of interpretation but, rather, a multi-layered analysis of the relationship between mental health and art as well as the relationship between art and the viewer. Furthermore, this series of works emerged from both personal experiences of the artist as well as the experiences of others, which, thus,  elucidates the broad spectrum of ways of looking at the theme. 

“The subject of mental health is universal and, therefore, Attard’s works cannot convey one truth”

For these reasons, the relationship between space-place-artwork-viewer is a complex one but is imperative towards this exhibition. The viewer is enabled to analyse this collective body of works on the theme but is still able to reflect on one’s own relation to the subject. As a result, by depicting the innermost essence of mental health in his abstracts, Attard aims to generate a two-way dynamic relationship between the artist and the viewer, with the artwork serving as the medium of understanding on the subject of mental health. 

With this exhibition, Attard wishes for both artists and viewers to find comfort in his art and to utilise such works as a means of reassurance. In a world troubled by ongoing turmoil, reassurance and hope seem almost forgotten. This leads one to question the extent at which hope through such works is possible. And, due to the complexity of this theme, one cannot guarantee a feeling of reassurance. 

Out from the Deep

Be it through comfort or disturbance, hope or despair, Endless Thinking acts as a window into the lived experiences of mental health, which ultimately aim to create a sensation of awareness on a subject which homes a truth to several individuals in the present-day world. 

Endless Thinking poster

Endless Thinking, curated by Hannah Dowling, will run until May 8 at the National Museum of Fine Arts – MUŻA, in Merchants Street, Valletta. Entrance to this exhibition is free and will be open throughout the week from 10am till 11pm, excluding Mondays and Thursdays.

Throughout the month, several group visits and ‘Meet the Artist and Curator’ events will be organised and published on social media. More information on the exhibition and the aforementioned events may be found on Facebook and Instagram.

For group visits with a guided tour by the artist and curator, send an e-mail to artinattardo@gmail.com or hannahdowling1707@gmail.com, or call on +356 79442531.