Fine Line: Mental Health/Mental Illness Exhibit

Midlands Technical College will present the exhibit “Fine Line: Mental Health/Mental Illness” at their Airport Campus from February 1 – 13, 2019. The exhibit will be on display as part of a larger event, the “Get Psyched with MTC” Conference, which will include a variety of sessions and workshops for members of the community ranging from mental health professionals to caregivers, students, and the general public. SC Humanities helped support these events with a Major Grant awarded in September 2018.

“Fine Line: Mental Health/Mental Illness” has 46 photographic and audio essay documentaries of individuals struggling with mental health issues. It is a documentary of voices, stories and portraits that confronts stereotypes and reveals the courage and fragility of those living with mental illnesses. Photographer Michael Nye spent four years photographing and recording stories. Schizophrenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive, anxiety and bi-polar disorders are among the experiences considered.

Frances Wise, the Executive Director of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, said, “Michael Nye’s exhibition, “Fine Line” is incredibly powerful and unbelievably moving. It connects you with each individual in such a personal way. These compelling photographs and intimate voices will educate and change minds.”

The opening of the exhibit will kick off a two week conference that will include workshops, panel discussions, and short courses that will examine the impact of art, ethics, global perspectives, race, gender, and history on society’s perception of mental health today. Some of the planned sessions include: “Global Perspectives on Mental Health and Mental Illness,” “Ethics and Mental Illness,” “Get PSYCHED! Poetry Event,” and “Sharing Hope: Speaking with African-Americans About Mental Health.” The full schedule and conference brochure can be found HERE.

The exhibit and the conference will take place at the Airport Campus of Midlands Technical College, located at 1260 Lexington Dr, West Columbia, SC 29170. The exhibit will be on display in the Mary Robertson Conference Hall and will be open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 21-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually.

Image: “Beth,” courtesy of Michael Nye