The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human: Issaquah -Special Edition

Special Edition Catalog. In the art and social change exhibit The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human, curator and artist Kate Vrijmoet, along with twenty-eight Pacific Northwest artists; with writers David Francis, Gayle Clemans, and Grace Boey shed light on the effect mental illness has on individuals and society. Mental illness inflicts losses on society as a whole, through cultural messages that people who struggle with mental illness are not fit to contribute to the richness and depth of the social fabric. Every year one in four people suffers with mental illness. The cost of depression-related workforce absenteeism, and of lost productivity is $200 billion per year. In Washington State, suicide is the second leading cause of teenage death. By talking about mental illness, we reduce the shame surrounding it, creating a space where prejudices and fears give way to compassion and humanity. This project is sponsored by artEAST and Issaquah Schools Foundation