Victoria’s Parliament House has welcomed art from the Dax Centre, a gallery in Parkville exhibiting work that reduce the stigmas of mental health and emotional traumas.
The art, selected by parliament representatives and the Dax Centre, include pieces by Yarraville artist Patricia Stewart which were created to work through her traumatic upbringing with a mother suffering from Munchausen.
Patricia’s work is among that of three others exhibited in the President of the Legislative Council’s office as part of a loan bringing together art and politics.
Patricia’s mother suffered from Factitious Disorder or Munchausen, a disorder which causes the patient to fabricate illnesses, often for attention. She fictionalised Patricia’s illnesses, claiming that her daughter was dying to garner attention from those caring for her.
This led to Patricia’s neglect through a lack of education, clothes, toys and a general lack of care that has strongly impacted her artistic work and mental health.
“My art has been strongly tempered by [the emotional abuse], I don’t see myself as a victim, I just knew I had to get through it and art has helped do that,” Patricia said.
Her art has been a tool to process her past, witnessed through the swirling of faces, bodies and intricate patterns with vibrant hues.
“It has been nice that [the artistic community] accepts me creatively, I have never felt pitied for my experience.”
Later this year the centre will hold another exhibition in Parliament, showing various other artworks from its Cunningham collection. The collection is the only one of its type and size in Australia, displaying work that fights mental health stigmas and that connects with traumatic events.
Kaija Du
