"The Fair” exhibition will take place on Saturday at Deutsches Haus in District 1 in HCM City. -- Photo Courtersy Wintercearig project

HCM CITY — An art exhibition about mental health titled "The Fair” will take place on Saturday at Deutsches Haus in District 1 in HCM City.

The event, which is part of the Wintercearig Project, will last from 2pm to 9pm. It aims to help people focus on their mental health with a combination of science, art and technology, helping people to connect and access information to better understand mental health issues.

At the exhibition, visitors will experience artistic creations and enjoy performances, including four interactive booths with four different art forms that permit visitors to engage in expressive activities related to their respective psychological issues. There will be performances related to "Stress and Anxiety Disorder" and "Depression", while typography by local artists will help visitors visualize the words "Anxiety Disorder", "Stress", and "Depression".

From these activities, participants can identify and face their own issues as well as understand the importance of maintaining a healthy mental state, or more simply, connect with each other, experience art, and find a balanced state of mind.

Tricia Nguyễn, founder of the Wintercearig project, said: “Using different art forms can help you express your emotions safely and creatively. You don’t need to be an expert or an artist to create something beautiful and meaningful. The arts are naturally therapeutic in their own way. By providing the public with visualisations, a general concept can be understand and different forms of art can be sampled.

We hope they can find their own way to deal with their issues that cause daily stress, especially students with academic pressure. This is also a place for each of us to understand and know how to help our loved ones who are facing the same problem.”

Tricia came up with the idea for Wintercearig in late 2016 after being diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and bouts of depression. For many years of dancing and drawing, art has helped her through many difficult times.

“Through research I have found that there is a great stigma about mental health and the lack of treatment facilities in Việt Nam. I think art can be a great way to express one's feelings without the fear of being judged. I am willing to support the community here in understanding the psychological issues we face," she said. 

According to figures from the Ministry of Health, about 15 per cent of the Vietnamese population suffers from common mental disorders related to stress, and 3 million from severe mental disorders. The Institute of Mental Health said that 30 per cent of the Vietnamese population suffers from mental disorders, of which depression accounts for 25 per cent.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2020 depression will be the second most common disease that affects people (after heart disease) worldwide. However, depression is only one aspect of mental illness which can include anxiety, hyperactivity disorder and other disorders.  — VNS