Description
The catalogue accompanying our current exhibition, The Weight of Being. Open now until April 19 2026.
Curated by Angela Thomas, this new exhibition will explore artistic expression and mental health. Through depictions of deeply personal and collective experiences, it examines the powerful ways in which artists capture vulnerability, resilience, and their search for solace.
Including the work of a diverse range of twentieth century and contemporary artists and their varying perspectives, The Weight of Being will showcase how artists have captured the psychological and emotional impact of societal pressures, resilience in the face of adversity, and existential uncertainty.
Alongside dozens of artworks drawn from galleries and collections across the UK, the portraits, landscapes, and figurative studies of the lesser-known artist John Wilson McCracken (1936–1982) are woven throughout. Denied the opportunity to return to the Slade School of Art following a period of hospitalisation for mental health reasons, McCracken spent much of his career in Hartlepool, producing work that reflects a profound sensitivity to the emotional and social pressures of his time. Shaped by personal and collective struggles, his art offers a deeply human perspective on the exhibition’s themes, revealing how external forces imprint themselves on the mind, body, and creative spirit.
Through the wide range of artists, mediums, and represented demographics, The Weight of Being is intended to spark meaningful conversations about resilience, identity, and emotional well-being, offering a profound reflection on the toll of existence and the strength found in shared experiences, ultimately fostering hope and deepening understanding.
The catalogue includes essays by the curator, Angela Thomas, as well as Colin Gale, the Director of Bethlem Museum of the Mind. It also includes many full colour photographs of works on display in the exhibition.
