Therefore, she concealed her illness and the extreme mood swings caused by it, the trough of “despair, pain, and despair” accompanied by suicidal thoughts.
The pen name “Crack” is derived from her work, which she believes is to open a crack and let her life “penetrate”.
The black and white sketch depicts a single woman surrounded by claws or sharp chin. This is the only way to express her pain and “feeling normal”.
Research published in the medical journal The Lancet in 2019 shows that more than 16% of China’s population (approximately 220 million people) have experienced a diagnosable mental illness at some stage in their lives, and the vast majority have never Have received any treatment.
The government expressed concern last year and promised to raise awareness and treatment, but provided few details.
Chen Mengyuan, a social worker and curator of the Shanghai Mental Health Theme Art Exhibition, said that Chinese culture still views mental illness as a shameful sign of weakness. The exhibition displays “Crack” and the work of 80 other artists to raise awareness.
