The program for My Mother exhibition

1. MY MOTHER
Her Journey with Bipolar
mymotherexhibit.wix.com/home
5pm to 7pm
11 May 2016
116 - 120 Rowe Street, Northbridge
#MyMotherExhibit facebook/mymother
A showcase exhibition featuring a
mix of photography, illustration and
installation pieces by the students of
Studio 2 Bachelor of Graphic Design.

2. We are the students of Studio 2 Bachelor of Graphic Design. We have been
tasked with bringing a social issue to forefront in an attempt to open up
an in depth discussion. As our emotions are inherently tied to sight and
sound, how best can we interpret societal issues through the use of
installation, photography and illustration.
The topic in question is the Bipolar Condition. We have transformed the
space, simulating the progression of stages one might experience with
the Bipolar Condition. A story, centred around a mother and daughter,
their relationship and journey through life. This story is a amalgamation
of experiences taken from a selected interviews from people with the
Bipolar condition. The purpose of this is to protect the anonymity of our
clients and share with you how this condition affects the course of their
lives. Whilst we understand that not every experience is the same and
that the severity of the conditio tn differs from every case, we felt that the
greatest stigma looming over the Bipolar Condition was misinterpretation
and misunderstanding. The story itself is to provide a deeper perspective
on the condition and how (as someone who does not have Bipolar) can
become more educated and learn how to provide proper support.
A special thanks to:
MY MOTHER
Her Journey with Bipolar

3. The Bipolar Condition
Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depression illness, it is a brain
disorder that cuases unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity level and
the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. (Blackdog, 2013)
Bipolar Disorder effects 5.7 million in USA alone, with 2.6% of them
being older than 18. (Tasman & Mohr, 2011)
Equal male and female suffer from bipolar disorder and is something
that is found in all ages, race, ethinic groups of social classes. (National
Institute of Mental Health, 2014)
Bipolar disorder can be casues by three different things;
Genetic - Bipolar can run in families that have a genetic predisposition
to get the disorder. Scientist are exploring the presence of abnormalities
of specific genes said to cause bipolar disorder.
Biologial - Researches beleive some neurotransmitters, including
serotonin and dopamine dont function properly in individual with bipolar.
Enviromental - Outside factors such as stress or major life changing
event may trigger a genetic of biological reaction. (Tartakovsky, 2016)
There are three types of Bipolar
Bipolar I is the more serve of the types, it is defined by having the
depressive eiposdes lasting around 2 week and the manic episodes that
last around 7 days. These can be so severe that a person suffering from
Bipolar I may be needed to be hopsitalised. Bipolar I is the only type
where the person will suffer from extreme psychotic episodes.
Bipolar II
Bipolar II is simular to Bipolar I, the person suffers from both manic and
depressive episodes, although in Bipolar II the person doesnt have as
extremes or suffer from psychotic eiposdes.
Cyclothymic Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder is where the person suffers from manic and
depressive eiposdes in a cycle. Each episodes lasts around 2 years,
they are weaker than in other types but last alot longer. (National
Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, 2006)

4. Special thanks to Nat Peach and Emmy Niziolek for being
our models and David Thompson for making the seewsaw.
We would like to thank EvenKeel for providing clients to
liason with and interview. We thank our clients for sharing
and entrusting us with their expierences with the Bipolar
Condition. We would also like to thank SAE Qantm for
providing the budget for this campaign.
We hope you enjoyed the show!
Corey Hines
Rebecca Thompson
Adam Lunn

5. Corey Hines
Creative Director & Copywriter
Adam Lunn
Project Manager
Rebecca Thompson
Assistant Project Manager & Creative Director, Markerting Manager
Students
I am Rebecca Thompson, a graphic design student currently studying at
SAE, but you already knew that. I am currently 19 years old and in the
final years at SAE. I have been interested in multimedia since highschool,
but it wasn’t until grade 10 when I decided to study Applied Information
Technology, this is where I discovered design and how I could make a
career out of it, that is exactly what I am trying to do. My design style is
mostly using photo manipulation, which is something I would like to think
I’m fairly good at, but something I am not is drawing. That is why this
trimester I have decided to try and creating some interesting illustration
that are to the same quality as my photos.
I am currently studying a Bachelor of Graphic Design after beginning
my studies in Sydney. Visuals, imagery and colour brought me to study
design, and afterwards I wish to specialise in advertising, branding or
photographic manipulation.
My background is in fine art, I was a freelance painter for a couple of
years but fell into animation chasing a vision of animated illustration
books. I switched to design after a year and then began to hone in on
my compositional skills and intertwining both art and design to speak my
own design style. I’m hoping to land a job in digital publishing, designing
layouts for both print and web. I may branch off and do freelance work,
curate stories and exhibitions, the possibilities are endless.

6. Depressive
My name is Anna, but this is a story about My Mother. She has had a
coloured life that I, her daughter, wish to share with you. My Mother does
great things, she makes art; she paints. Her paintings reflect her vivid
spirit. Warm and rich, like her cooking, like her garden of flowers, like
the summer sun on the weekends. I remember she use to take me to the
park, and we’d walk around listening to the birds. In moments like this My
Mother would tell me that tranquility is to be cherished and that life isn’t
always easy, but it goes on.
As a child, I loved My Mother for her wisdom and protection. As an adult,
I love her for her strength and self-resilience. You see My Mother was
diagnosed with Bipolar 2 at the age of 26, it took 6 years to establish
this. The relationship with My Mother now is endurable, but we had many
lessons to learn. Unaware of My Mother’s condition as a child, she would
slip into a behaviour that I couldn’t yet comprehend. You see with Bipolar;
the condition can cause elevated states of euphoria that can come out in
various ways, bursts of creativity or exuberance - as this state declines
they feel an overwhelming crash.
At times My Mother was left to fend off a pressure that was sinking her
into the ground. Everyday things like waking up, eating and going to work
would become unmanageable and taxing. My Mother found it difficult to
keep friendships, because she was often perceived as too fragile, erratic
and moody. At times I would wake in the middle of the night to My Mother
cleaning, vacuuming - deep into the early hours of the morning. She would
always send me off to bed, I just thought it was normal, like every adult
did this! One time My Mother didn’t get out of bed, and I remember crying,
because I didn’t understand why.
Rebecca Thompson

7. Smoke
A1 Print on Board
Rebecca Thompson
2016

8. Bipolar Depression
Rebecca Thompson
Rationale
The Claw represents depression in a phyical form as what The Mother sees
is trying to take her away from her life and her child. Her position shows
her decline as she feels unable to fight, as if she has given up. She is jsut
crawled in like a ball waiting to be taken.
String, I felt that The Mother’s emotions are being warped by depression
making her success feel like fails. The chain held by the string is showing
how The Mother is only hanging on by a thread, she is just barely keeping
together as the depression is consuming her.
For Smoke I wanted to represent the feeling of being overwhelmed,
sufficated by her depressive state, as it took her away from experiences.
My subject would describe it as being taken over by the darkness, as if
sufficated by black smoke. I wanted to show the depression has taken
over The Mother’s life and how it took away her family and is slowly taking
away her personality; which is why her face is starting to fade away into
the smoke cloud.
There is no distinct difference between Depression and Bipolar
Depression, in which case it makes it difficult to diagnose, requiring the
resurfacing of family medical records. (Jakal, D)
Depressive episodes will cause a disruption to the person’s sleeping
patterns; trouble getting to sleep or waking up in the middle of the night.
In some cases it can be experienced through hypersomnia or insomnia.
(Jakal, D)
Depression can incite feelings of anxiety that can affect their appetite,
in some cases a lack thereof, or a rise in it. Senses become dull and
smell and taste diminishes. (BlackDog)

9. Claw
A1 Print on Board
Rebecca Thompson
2016
String
A0 Print on Board
Rebecca Thompson
2016

10. Manic
Adam Lunn
Looking back now it was clear that her behavior, though strange and
erratic, seemed rooted in her unconditional love for me. I remember for
my 6th birthday party, all my friends were invited and My Mother was to
host. She put a decadent spread of sweet and savoury, and the house
was transformed. It was a Friday so I was at school at the time, but My
Mother tells me she was sent into a frenzy. An idea unravelled out of
control - The whole house was covered in photos of me.
I came home to floors covered in paper, My Mother furiously cutting
up bits and pieces to cover all surfaces. The sight of me lead her to a
halt, I could the see colour drain from her face. These episodes, she
recalls it as experiences that she loses handle of, much like an idea
blown out of proportion. For when moments where thoughts are in a
frenzy; things become chaotic and unclear. Sometimes when My Mother
paints, she feels strongly, passionately - and somewhat over critical, her
creations are destroyed soon after by her own hands. She never lied to
me, sometimes I didn’t ask questions but pondered on them.
My Mother had several manic episodes around the time of my birthday;
though complex and unusual, she was never violent to me. What began
with misunderstood gestures got mouths moving; my father doubted her
capabilities of looking after me and got people involved to bring us apart.
Even through the eyes of a 6 year old, I knew My Mother needed guidance.
However, I wish I was old enough to understand. The separation, the
isolation, was what drove her into darkness.

11. Balloon
Polaroid Installation
Adam Lunn
2016
Cake Cake Cake
Sculpture / Light Installation
Adam Lunn
2016

12. Adam Lunn
Rationale
My pieces in the exhibit delve into the manic stages which bipolar sufferers
often go through before their depressive and psychotic stages. The exhibit
focuses on a child’s perspective of her mother undergoing through bipolar
herself and I have based my stories on one of the girls birthday party
where her mother experiences a manic moment. Using photography,
image manipulate and installation, I want viewers of my pieces have an
insight into the manic stages as if they were experiencing it themselves.

13. Barbie
A2 Print on Board
Adam Lunn
2016

14. Phsycotic
Corey Hines
This was the darkest period of My Mother’s life, I just remember my dad
picking me up, and I had to go to school from his house for few awhile. I
now know that it was My Mother’s paranoia.
Reality became warped for her, like a dream as real as ever but something
isn’t quite right. My Mother describes it as seeing something on instinct,
though perceiving it as something entirely different all together. She told
me she would see rats, and the sound of them would frighten her to death!
I found this out later in life, it was a frightening thing to imagine.
“They were shapes layered upon shapes to build a form sometimes
threatening, other times pensive, but its eyes were always on me. I couldn’t
shake the feeling of guilt and judgement. And the television, it would speak
to me... It told me I was worthless, that I couldn’t look after you.”
Episodes were described as deceptive realities, sometimes layers
of shadow will build entities, or the voice on the television becomes
manipulated. A chastising voice replaced that of the journalists. She didn’t
watch the television for awhile. Behavior strung to pariona and anxiety,
she had experienced trauma. She turned to alcohol to alleviate and relax,
but it would make things worse for her. The true force of this psychosis
sprung from her condition, but is not a well known case. My Mother does
not experiences episodes of this nature now.
To recover, My Mother slept for days. During this time the bond between us
was waning, I began to see her less and less. Looking back it’s just a haze
of tears. It was to me, a lifetime; but in reality it was roughly two years of
separation.

15. Shattered Pysche
Corey Hines
A1 Print on Board
2016

16. Corey Hines
Rationale
Pyschosis
All of my pieces encompass a notion of balance and how the design may
appear balanced but compartmentalised by something traumatic and
chaotic. The pieces of information that stood out to me from my subject
was an “episodic deception of reality” and how things are multi-layered,
she described them as shapes, which are layered upon each other to
form entities. The three piece took the idea of layers (an opacity gradient
of photographs) to form shapes, that are then layered upon each other
to form these entities. It plays on the idea that the same shapes can
reform themselves to create something different entirely. The shapes are
formed into these primitive-like masks that are metamorphic, dream-like,
something close to reality but twisted. Something that could be perceived
in multiple ways without any true understanding of it.
Similar themes are touched on by the solo piece, I wanted both to be
able to be perceived in multiple ways. The piece itself is to represent
an imbalance to the human psyche, much like a shattered ying-yang,
haphazard and uncollective. I wanted to carry the theme of shapes to
bring about a new form, as our mental state is always changing; the piece
reflects multiple states of mind trapped in time. Recovery can be up to a
week, so I value my subject (a dear friend of mine) and her resilience.
“Psychosis can happen out of the blue, to anyone, and no one knows why.
Not even the best doctors on the planet.
And that’s why Mom is always so afraid. If we don’t know what made me sick
in the first place, how can anyone guarantee I won’t flip out again?”
― Jeannine Garsee, The Unquiet

17. Deceptive Realities
Corey Hines
A2 Prints on Board
2016

18. Acceptance
Collobrative
Talking to My Mother now, she liaisoned with support groups to help her
find a sense of clarity about her condition. My Mother took upon a mantle
to educate herself and understand perspective. This is not always easy
for others with the Bipolar condition, My Mother was very self aware.
Reflecting on the memory of when I first saw her; it was as if the weather
was in sync with her. She took me to the park just like she use to and we
hung out all day. When I asked My Mother what happened she thought
long about her response, looked at me and smiled.
“Sometimes I experience thoughts and emotions out of my control, it took
a great deal of time for me to understand my own self-awareness and
presence in the world. And I’m still learning. Why am I here Anna? To care
for you, to protect you. And I must be the best of myself to do this, I must
have clarity and I must have balance. These are things in life which carry us
through difficult times. I will tell you more when you are older, for now lets
just enjoy this moment.”
I could feel her warmth again. Whilst her condition didn’t disappear, she
accepted that it was apart of who she is. I learnt at young age that this
is okay, that people are different, and that listening to what people have
to say goes a long way.
I would not be the woman I am today without My Mother.