Art and Escape

Hook

The U-Bahn rattles beneath the streets of Munich. I am jostled by commuters exiting at Odeonsplatz. The English Garden is a blur of green as the tram speeds past. I exit at Turkenstrasse. A woman sits on the pavement, headphones in her ears, sketching. I walk to the cafe on Maxvorstadt where I often sit with my coffee and draw. I order a black coffee. The barista hands me the cup, smiles. The coffee is bitter, but it’s quiet. This painting, Mental Helth, it sits in my mind as much as it does in the small collection.

The work

The painting is mostly reds and whites. The canvas is not blank by any means but there’s a lightness to it. I did not start with this palette in mind. It evolved from the brushwork as I went along. The reds were layered heavily on top of one another, then scraped back in places. The white parts are acrylic and canvas exposed. The white is more about what is left behind than what is added.

I have always been drawn to the contrast of colours. The whites and reds are not evenly distributed but there are enough spaces for them to breathe. The brushwork alternates between broad strokes and fine details, creating a textured surface that invites closer inspection. There are no perfect lines or shapes in this painting, yet something in it holds.

The thought

I find myself returning to the title Mental Helth as I stand before the canvas. The word has its own rhythm and I am drawn to its energy. A title is not a final decision but rather a conversation with the painting. I hesitate here, aware of all the nuances it could hold. I choose not to define it too tightly. There are many layers to these words and the painting in front of me.

It reminds me of the time I walked through the English Garden after my first solo show. The city was quiet that morning. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment mixed with a profound loneliness. It was an unexpected emotion, but it felt familiar somehow. The garden was filled with people yet I felt isolated in my thoughts. The world around me was busy with its own rhythm, oblivious to the quiet turmoil within. That morning I understood that mental health is not merely the absence of illness but a constant negotiation between inner and outer worlds.

The reds in this painting are both vibrant and muted, layers of emotion scraped back to reveal the canvas underneath. They are not loud but they are present like the quiet strength needed for such negotiations. This painting is not a declaration but a soft conversation with myself and perhaps others who might find themselves in these spaces between.

Closing invitation

If you would like to see Mental Helth in person, it lives on the Anfray x MAR site, where it is part of a small current collection.